


The Desolation of the Oak Tree

by Zoi no miko (zoi_no_miko)



Series: Glamour & Reverie [3]
Category: Changeling: the Dreaming
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Changelings, Explicit Sexual Content, Fae & Fairies, Fauns & Satyrs, M/M, Marathon Sex, Púca | Pooka, Temporary Character Death, Threesome - M/M/M, Transformation, erotic asphyxiation(just a little bit)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-23 16:28:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 28,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6122493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoi_no_miko/pseuds/Zoi%20no%20miko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Finding home is the first step on a long road.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_I sent my heart away across the hills_  
_My jewel, golden haired and fair of skin,_  
_His eyes like stars, his lips so berry sweet_  
_His voice the sweetest summer wisp of wind._

~~~

By the time Daniel finally proclaimed, "This is the place," Raghnaid's colt was nearly as tall as his parents, keeping up with the wagon on long, gangly legs. The journey had been long, and at times more difficult than Ben had ever anticipated.

The first leg of the trek, through Lady Iselene's gate to a land that its new inhabitants had named the Land of Summer, had been blessedly uneventful. The trod was more well-traveled than they'd anticipated, traversed by nobles and their retainers hand picked by the Lady to join her brother's holdings in the new world. They'd arrived to a sprawling duchy with several bustling freeholds, full of nobles and their commoner retainers.

The self-appointed Duke Somhairle of House Eiluned and his Fiona consort, young Sir Aidan, had been friendly and welcoming, though gave them warning. There were strange fae in this new world already, as nomadic as the primitive tribes of mortals that lived here, and they'd had several skirmishes over the Sidhe's settlements, enough that they'd restricted their travels between Freeholds primarily to the paths that they'd made in the dreaming. They traveled west through one, to a beautiful freehold lodge on the edge of a great plain, then set out further on foot in the mortal world.

They were a small enough group that they seemed to avoid detection most of the time, steering clear of any large groups of mortals spotted through careful scouting and the Nocker's chimerical distance-scopes. Daniel was able to talk their way out of the few encounters they had with new world fae, called the Nunnehi, who generally seemed happy enough to let them go as long as they continued to move forward and out of their territory. The few mortals they did encounter generally regarded them with unbridled wonder, their glamour pure and delicious, though with one particularly aggressive tribe Daniel had to resort to bespelling them, hypnotizing them with a long, enthralling tale of valour until they could slip away in the night.

Still, simply being in this new world was easier, with little of the growing heaviness of mortal disbelief they'd become so used to enduring. So when, as the seasons changed from fall to icy snow, they'd come to a range of mountains far bigger and more impenetrable than the ones they'd left behind, it hadn't been difficult to find a glen with enough glamour for Daniel to open a path back into the near-dreaming and away from the cold.

It would have been easy to continue their path to the sea if they'd been able to simply bypass the mountains by walking through dreams. But this land was unexplored, with none of the silvery trods established to safely take them to their destinations. Leaving a trod could mean being lost in the dreaming for years - years that could translate to decades or even centuries in the mortal realm. So traveling through the dreaming meant creating their own, meant Daniel using magic to reach for some other point of _softness_ between the mortal world and the near dreaming that they could connect to, then taking that path without knowing what they'd find. The journeys themselves were perilous, with the great Chimera of the dreaming attracted to the glamour of the new roads, and not all of them friendly. The _beastgeis_ saw plenty of blood, and Ben found himself well glad of his new lover's prowess in battle - despite his comparatively diminutive size, Lahr kept pace with him easily, and with the help of Aingeala and Norah they kept the little group safe.

Ben's greatest fear was that Daniel would wear himself out; the Slaugh, with their strength over secrets, held enough magical abilities to contribute some to the building of the trods, but most of the weight fell to Daniel. Once they finally found a suitable destination the burden of establishing the new freehold's its heart with their carefully transported _balefire_ would also be Daniel's. So Ben did his best to ensure Daniel remained of harm's way as much as possible, forcing him to take rest after working any large piece of magic like creating a Trod, even if it meant making camp at the edge of the Dreaming and luring him into bed with Lahr for days. He couldn't miss that Daniel had been a little more withdrawn since their departure from Hibernia, a little more melancholy and less likely to seek Ben's council. Still, as time went on he seemed to relax into their intimacies. There too, Ben found himself inordinately glad to have Lahr at his side - beyond the great joy of being able to share his love for Daniel with the Satyr, Lahr's tender, sensual playfulness seemed as much a balm to his charge's heavy heart as his own devoted adorations.

Twice their attempts to find a way out of the dreaming proved failure; the end of the first Trod Daniel created ended in a mountain cave far more icy and impassible than the place they'd left. The second opened into the bottom of a rich, beautiful canyon lush with greenery, the sunshine bakingly hot. They rested a short time in the warmth, but with no sign of the sea - or more importantly, no apparent way to get out of the canyon - they pushed on again.

The third trek was even longer, eventually forcing them to craft a chimerical boat to carry their party along the silvery Trod that stretched out across the surface a seemingly unending, eerily calm sea. Ben had become concerned that they'd never see the end, and stayed constantly vigilant on the voyage, convinced that the tentacles of some chimerical sea serpent would pull their small craft down at any moment. But eventually they struck land again, and soon after the gate of the trod opened up into the mortal world.

The trees that surrounded the lush clearing the gate opened into were tall and ancient and green, and in their shade the air was cool and crisp with the pine scent of coniferous trees. He watched a small smile play at Daniel's lips as he looked around. Then he slipped out of his outer robes, down to shirt and trews, and nodded towards one of the tall trees that anchored the gate. "Give me a boost?"

Ben lifted him as high as he could, and Daniel scaled up the tree with ease, as light footed as ever, disappearing high amongst the branches. When he reappeared he slid down into Ben's arms, beaming. "The sea! I could see it. I could _smell it_. Ben, we're _home!_ "

~~~

 

Creating a path back to Duke Somhairle's lands was a piece of cake for Daniel compared to the previous trods. The magical anchor he'd set before their departure still shone brightly in his mind; it was almost more of a relief than an effort to create the connection. But building the freehold would take significantly more. He sent Silas and Tulia, the Slaugh, back to go fetch Serah's Selkie clan, with Norah to guard them.

"If this is to be home, couldn't we all go back?" Ben asked him as they escorted the party through the dreaming to where the ship waited, to see them off. Daniel knew what he was really implying.

He felt his heart give a throb at the reminder - a familiar, bittersweet ache - and his fingers went to the beautiful polished garnet that hung around his neck, the stone warm against his skin. He gave Ben a smile that was more determination than joy. "Not yet. I have to set the _balefire_. I have to build a home. Those are the terms of my quest."

His protector nodded, leaning in to press a kiss to his hair. "Then we'll get to work."

It would take time, he knew, careful preparations both in the mortal world and the dreaming, fortifications before he could carefully take the _balefire_ from its hiding place and wind it with his own glamour to form the heart of the freehold. Only then could they begin to build the castle he had promised Eion. But hopefully, even with their small party, they would be ready for that by the time the Selkie arrived. He was ready to work. After such a long journey, he was impatient for it.

Still, it was easy to give in when Lahr approached him shortly after sundown, stroking an arm around his waist and leaning in to nuzzle his hair. "It's the first day of spring, you know. Beltane."

The reminder that nearly two mortal years had passed made Daniel feel a soft rush of dismay. As if sensing it, Lahr's arm tightened around him.

"It's auspicious," he murmured, pressing a kiss to his temple. "A blessing for your choice and for your freehold."

"Our freehold," Daniel corrected, letting himself smile at Lahr's words.

"Mmm. Come, my lord. The light has gone. Your servants need rest, and the horses deserve it. We can continue our work tomorrow."

He'd just untied the bunch of pine boughs that he and Nuallán had drug back to camp, to be part of a temporary structure to protect the wagon's precious cargo. The wagon itself would be needed to bring in more permanent building supplies. "We can start laying the floor for the luggage - "

"When it's light," Lahr agreed, steering him towards the encampment, where the others had built a roaring fire. "Your books will be safe overnight still in the wagon. Come on. Ben's pitched our tent." His voice lowered as his arm tightened around Daniel's waist, lips nuzzling along the edge before sucking briefly, tantalizingly at the point. "Besides... I think we should celebrate. It's Beltane and we've found home.... don't you agree?"

Daniel closed his eyes, biting back a soft moan at the thought. "Your idea of celebration means I'll barely be able to walk tomorrow."

Lahr's chuckle was notedly devious. "You've never complained before."

The area around the fire already looked like home, with rope hammocks strung up between trees and a pot of something wonderful bubbling on a tripod over hot coals at one edge of the fire. The Boggans, always happiest when they were making things homey, bustled around the edge of the clearing, sometimes getting in the way of the Nockers who had started augmenting the natural trees into a frame for a temporary structure. 

Back a little farther away he could see that Ben had taken similar advantage of the forest, coaxing the canopy of three large pines to move together, then using their tenting and boughs to turn the hollow underneath into a very welcoming looking bower far larger than just the tent itself. It was lit inside with the soft glow of fairy lights, and when Ben pulled back the canvas door with a smile Daniel was surprised to see that a large, plush looking bed had already been laid out - a thick mattress set on pine boughs adorned with large pillows, their bedding spread over it and turned back.

"The boggan were insistent that their lord have a proper bed." Ben's hand smoothed around his shoulders, pressing against his other side. Daniel could hear warmth and approval in his voice. "They brought the mattress and pillows in a little while ago. Strange how they decided that it needed to be so big....."

"Yes, strange...." Daniel laughed softly, turning his face up to him and reaching up for a kiss, slow and lingering. "Lahr says we should celebrate."

"I'm inclined to agree," Ben murmured, returning his kiss more generously, sucking Daniel's bottom lip between his own. He felt Lahr's hand stroke down to cup his ass as he nuzzled his face into Daniel's neck, tugging aside his robes and trailing slow kisses along his shoulder.

The thought of enjoying their company with relative privacy and a large, comfortable bed, was far too decadent to resist. He gave a soft moan as Ben smoothed a hand down his midline, caressing the inside of one thigh. "You two make a very convincing argument...."

"We know what buttons to press," Lahr purred, chuckling softly as he started to undo Daniel's robes. "How shall we serve you, my lord? Anything you want...."

Daniel broke from Ben's mouth to answer his question in a kiss, groaning as Lahr licked into his mouth hungrily, hips pressing into his side, already half-hard. "A generous offer," he murmured, turning into him more, pulling his hips against him.

"An entirely self-serving one," Lahr replied with a devious chuckle. He rolled his hips against him slowly, encouraging Daniel's arousal as Ben pulled his robes open and off his shoulders. Lahr's fingers joined him, deftly removing the rest of his clothing. "Anything that involves turning you into a begging, whimpering mess can't be anything but self-serving."

It felt nearly intoxicating, being naked between them. The soft fur of Lahr's thighs and the hard press of his cock against Daniel's own was always intoxicatingly good, and even better when Ben pressed up against his ass, lavishing kisses on his shoulder as he rocked against him slowly. Daniel filled his hands with the perfectly round, well-muscled globes of Lahr's ass and pulled him closer, rolling his hips between them with a sigh of pleasure. "I think I want both of you in turn tonight," he breathed against Lahr's mouth, smiling at his approving hum. "Mm, yes... you, then Ben... maybe while you use my mouth...."

"That sounds like the perfect celebration." Lahr's fingers danced over his sides, teasing caresses that left heat in their wake. Then he stepped back towards the bed. "I want to take you while you're in Ben's arms."

"I like the sound of that." Ben drew him down into the bed, on top of him and into his kisses, urging Daniel to straddle one of his muscular thighs. He stroked his hands down his back and pressed his fingers between the cheeks of his ass, rubbing against him gently as he sucked at Daniel's lips and tongue. The tease of sensation made Daniel whimper and squirm against him, craving more. 

The mattress dipped as Lahr knelt behind him, stroking his hands over Daniel's ass with an appreciative hum. "Mm... yes, finger his tight little ass open for me...." He pulled Ben's fingers away briefly, and when he pressed them back against Daniel's ass they were slick, circling his hole, almost teasingly light.

Daniel gave a little frustrated whimper, hips rocking against Ben's thigh. "Please..."

Ben gave a soft, sympathetic hum. "My needy little love...." He pressed one finger up into him, not nearly enough, thrusting slowly.

"You know exactly what I need," Daniel gasped, writhing more. "Don't tease....."

"Don't tease?" He felt Lahr press his fingers against him, sliding into him alongside Ben's, stretching him wider as he pumped into him in slow counterpoint. "My lord is so needy....so ready to let me fill his hole....."

Ben's groan at Lahr's dirty commentary almost matched Daniel's. "Then give him what he needs," Ben murmured, and eased his finger away. Both hands clenched at his ass, spreading his cheeks wide, and Daniel cried out as Lahr slid into him without further preamble, burying himself to the hilt with a hard thrust.

"Perfect," Lahr hissed, drawing back before repeating the motion. "How good it feels to screw my cock into you, my lord.... bury myself in your needy little hole...."

The sensation was too good to comment. He whimpered as Lahr pulled away altogether, rubbing the head of his cock against his hole teasingly before pushing back into him again. Lahr certainly wasn't the first Satyr he'd gone to bed with, but he was definitely a credit to his kith, knowing just how to move, rolling his hips into him to leave Daniel seeing stars. It wasn't as intense as feeling his body stretch around the girth of Ben's cock, but it was certainly no less pleasurable, and soon he was bucking back to meet him as much as he could, face pressed to Ben's shoulder, crying out his pleasure.

Ben's hands rubbed over his hips and ass, encouraging. "That's it, my love... love watching you screw yourself on his cock so desperately....."

"Oh, yess....." Lahr's palm delivered a playful smack to his ass as he gave a harder buck. "My lord is so beautiful when he's being a desperate little whore...."

Daniel cried out at the smack, bucking back against him. "More," he gasped, the strike of Lahr's palm driving another surge of pleasure through him. It hastened the build of pleasure, and he could feel climax begin to tease at his nerves when Lahr slowed.

Daniel gave a frustrated whimper, trying to rock back against him. "Don't stop!"

"Just be patient," Lahr purred. He pulled one of Ben's hands from his back, and Daniel felt him press a slicked fingertip against the join of their bodies, teasing the rim of his ass.

He whimpered as Lahr began to move again in slow, deep thrusts. "Oh hell, yes. Please, please stretch me open....."

Ben's lips were warm against his hair. "Anything you ask," he murmured, and on Lahr's next thrust pushed his finger in alongside him, stretching him wider.

Lahr gave a soft curse, bucking harder against him. "So tight," he gasped, picking up the pace, harder thrusts pushing him more over Ben, grinding Daniel's cock into his stomach. Daniel arched his neck for a breathless kiss, crying out at a harder thrust, blissfully lost to the sensation. But part of him couldn't help but crave more intensity.

"More," he gasped against Ben's lips. "Please, love, please....."

Ben gave a soft, helpless groan, pulling his finger back only to press two back into him. The spidery discomfort of being stretched so tight was the perfect intensity, and Daniel cried out. He jerked up into it and his pleasure blossomed bright hot, shuddering through him as he came in thick spurts on Ben's stomach. Lahr gave a helpless cry behind him, hips stuttering up into him, the heat of his climax one final rush of pleasure against Daniel's nerves.

He felt adrift in a sea of well-being in the aftermath of orgasm, his entire body languid, humming with pleasure. Lahr's breathless kisses to his spine made him moan softly, happily, drinking in the sensation. Despite his climax, he couldn't help but moan in loss as Lahr slid from his body, leaving him feeling empty despite Ben's fingers still pressed up into him.

Ben gave a soft hum, nuzzling his ear, pressing his fingers a little deeper. "Love it when you get like this," he murmured, moving his fingers gently, slow and lazy. "My beautiful love... completely lost to pleasure, a slave to the needs of his body.....

Daniel gave a soft whimper in acknowledgement, pushing back against his fingers weakly. The gentle stimulation against his used nerve-endings was too much and yet not enough, and when Ben pressed another into him he gave a sigh of relief, pushing back into the penetration.

Lahr curled up against Ben's side, hand warm on the small of Daniel's back as he leaned in to kiss Ben warmly. "Mmmm... a goat could get drunk on the kind of glamour you two make," he breathed, stroking down Daniel's spine and over one ass cheek. 

If Daniel could have managed words he would have agreed, though he couldn't feel the glamour of their passion like Lahr did. It was their adoration that made him feel drunk, somehow even stronger tonight fed by both their desire to please him and their joy at being home. He gave a soft moan, pushing back harder against Ben's fingers. 

Lahr's voice was muffled as he nuzzled Ben's jaw. "I think Daniel needs your cock now, love.... he's so empty....."

Ben's breath hitched. "Give me a moment... you two were too sexy, I'm likely to go off like a firecracker....."

Lahr's gave a low groan. "Do it, then... stretch him open with your cock and fill him up with your seed, love... then stay inside that wet, sloppy ass until you can screw him again....."

Daniel gave a choked cry at the thought, at Ben's desperate groan as he moved to catch Lahr's mouth in a hard kiss. He eased his fingers from Daniel to pull his thigh across his body, pulling him on top of him and pushing up into him without hesitation.

The rush of sensation was agonizing and Daniel cried out, his spent cock jerking against Ben's stomach. Still, the familiar intensity of Ben's cock was perfect, and he couldn't help but press back against him, pushing him deeper.

"Not like that...." Lahr pulled away, and Daniel found himself being manhandled off Ben's cock, turned to loll helplessly back against Ben's chest. He arched up to capture Lahr's mouth in a kiss with a little mewling whimper, spreading his thighs on either side of Ben's obediently as Lahr reached down to guide Ben's cock back into him.

"Yes, that's it..." Lahr drew back, eyes dark as he looked over them. He stroked a hand down Daniel's stomach and over his thigh as Ben began to rock up into him, pushing deeper with every thrust. "So beautiful, my lord... so perfect with that gorgeous big cock stretching you open...."

Ben's thrusts soon grew ragged, and with a choked curse he jerked up hard, burying himself to the hilt and flooding him with heat. Ben's orgasm always felt a little like victory to him, and Daniel moaned as the glamour of it washed over him, his body thrumming with pleasure.

"Oh, love...." Ben sounded slightly incredulous as he panted for breath, hand stroking over Daniel's thigh, warm and soothing. Lahr gave a low, pleased moan, leaning over them to claim Daniel's mouth, pushing his tongue past his lips. Daniel yielded with a soft hum, lips parting obediently, and for a time just reveled in the pleasure of being kissed - lazy and warm and good.

"You're near-rapturous from submitting to us, aren't you?" Lahr's murmured finally, his voice soft, pleased and a little wondering. "You needed this so badly, didn't you my lord? Just to let go and have us take charge of you... make you helpless to pleasure...."

So much, Daniel though, smiling, reaching a hand up to stroke through Lahr's hair and pull him back down into more kisses. Ben turned his head to nuzzle Daniel's ear with a soft, approving hum, sucking on the point. His hands mapped slow strokes up and down Daniel's thighs, fingertips teasing the insides, gently arousing him.

"Feels so good to serve you," he murmured softly, fingers stroking up farther. He gently rubbed the sensitive skin behind his balls, then trailed his fingertips to trace around where his cock still entered his body, slicking through the cum that seeped from him.

The sensation was intoxicating, and he gave a helpless, whimpering moan against Lahr's lips, feeling his cock grow harder.

"Tell me to stop if it's too much," Ben murmured against his ear, a soft flutter of concern.

Daniel nearly sobbed at the thought. "Don't stop," he breathed, and Lahr gave a choked, helpless groan. He kissed down Daniel's midline to lick and suck at his hardening erection. His hands pressed warm on Daniel's thighs as he mouthed at his sack, then moved down farther, spreading his thighs apart more so he could lick hungrily at his skin and the base of Ben's cock.

Ben lavished attention on his ear with a low groan. "So good, Daniel.... you're so gorgeous, so perfect....." His teeth teased against the sensitive point of his ear, and as Lahr sucked his cock into his mouth Daniel couldn't help but buck between them, grinding down onto Ben's half-hard cock and feeling him twitch inside him.

"Love watching Lahr suck your cock," Ben murmured, moving one hand to curl in Lahr's hair. Lahr groaned in response, swallowing around him hungrily and taking him deep into his slick, tight bliss of his throat. Ben's moan was choked. "He sucks your cock like he's desperate for it, gagging for it, like he wants you to come down his throat....."

Ben's encouragements were almost maddening, leaving Daniel breathless and whimpering as Lahr swallowed around him again. He tried to wriggle down onto Ben's cock and felt his lover push up against him, grinding up against his ass with a low groan. "Mmm... gonna make me so hard, squirming on me like that....."

"Please," Daniel gasped, trying to squirm down harder. Instead Lahr pushed his thighs up higher, up and apart, so that all he could do was dangle helplessly against Ben's chest. He gave a soft, needy sob, gasping as Ben pushed up against him, starting to move as he hardened inside him.

"More," he gasped, and Ben's fingers dug into his thighs, holding him still as his hips snapped up into him in hard thrusts. Lahr cried out around his cock helplessly, low and thrumming, swallowing around him again, and before Daniel could stop himself he was coming hard, wailing out each overwhelming pulse of ecstasy that Ben's cock pounded through his body. Ben gasped soft, approving encouragements as he did, slowing, but when he started to pull away Daniel grabbed for his arm desperately.

"Don't!"

Ben let out a shivering breath. "You sure?" he asked softly.

Lahr gave a soft moan as his lips popped from Daniel's softening cock. "You heard him," he purred, nuzzling Daniel's thigh. "Your lord knows exactly what he wants....."

Ben still slowed to the barest rock, but it was enough. Daniel reached up to stroke his fingers through his hair, whimpering softly, nerves caught in the intoxication between pleasure and pain. A few moments later he felt Lahr move to kneel beside him, leaning down for a slow, yearning kiss before turning Daniel's head and urging his mouth to his cock.

Daniel's lips parted obediently, sighing at the slide of his cock over his tongue as Lahr pressed slowly into his mouth. Lahr's fingers carded through his hair, his voice approving. "That's it, my lord.... give in completely to what you want.... let us use your beautiful body over and over... give you all the pleasure you want...."

Ben gave a soft hiss in approval, stroking his hands up the insides of Daniel's spread thighs. He held him still as he eased up deeper, burying himself to the hilt and grinding slowly against his ass.

"Must feel so good to screw you right now," Lahr murmured, fingers tightening in his hair. "Your ass must be just as wet as your sweet little mouth...." He shifted to give a slightly more forceful thrust past his lips, his free hand moving to cup Daniel's cock. "Mmm, yes.... you're getting hard again from this, aren't you, my lord? From being used, so... mmm, so relentlessly.... "

Daniel gave a helpless moan around him, nearly choking, swallowing around him as Lahr pushed into his throat. HIs fingers clenched almost painfully tight at his hair, and Daniel felt his own cock jerk in response, the slow, overwhelming slide of Ben's cock inside him quickly turning back to pleasure. Lahr hissed, drawing back to push into his mouth again. "Hells, your glamour... yes, suck me just like that.... I'm gonna screw myself so hard on your cock....!"

He tried to moan his encouragement around Lahr's cock, hands clenching at his ass, encouraging him to thrust into his throat. Ben gave a little desperate groan as he did, bucking up into him harder, sucking and biting at the crook of Daniel's neck.

"Yess...." Lahr pushed deep with a triumphant groan, pressing Daniel's lips into his groin, then pulling away completely, leaving Daniel gasping for breath. He whimpered at the loss of his cock, but instead Lahr moved to straddle him, balancing himself over them with ease as his fingers curled around Daniel's cock, slicking him. Then he was rocking down onto him, letting Ben's thrusts push him up into him, crying out as his body stretched around him.

Ben gave a little triumphant cry, bucking up into him. "Oh hell yes, I'll fuck both of you so good...."

Daniel gave a breathless, laughing moan at the thought that turned into a cry as Ben's thrust pushed another hard shock of pleasure through him. Lahr rocked down onto him enthusiastically, meeting Ben's thrusts, letting each push Daniel to the hilt in the tight heat of his ass. The dual onslaught of pleasure was perfect in his intensity, but as much as Daniell didn't want it to end he could feel his muscles start to tremble in exhaustion.

"Come on, sweetheart," Lahr gasped, tightening around him intentionally, milking his cock. "Come inside me, my lord, fill me up....."

Ben punctuated his words with a stuttering thrust, ragged and desperate. "Please," he gasped, reaching up to curl his fingers around Daniel's throat, squeezing ever so gently, with practiced care. "Please, love, come for me. Come on...."

The pressure of Ben's fingers against his throat sent a surge of adrenaline through him, and he gasped for breath as they tightened, as Ben's cock slammed up into him hard and fast. Lahr clenched down around his cock with a desperate, shuddering cry, then Ben let go, and everything broke free in a rush - the pleasure of being filled so perfectly, of the tight heat of Lahr's body, the rush of blood and air all whirling together to the most overwhelming pinnacle of sensation. The world blacked out as ecstasy cascaded through him, hard and unrelenting, wiping every conscious thought from his mind.

He was vaguely aware of the others talking as the world returned - Ben's voice low and approving, thick in the aftermath of pleasure. In contrast, Lahr sounded nearly exalted. Daniel smiled, letting them manhandle him down between them, melting into the warm softness of the bed.

"We haven't broken you, have we?" Ben murmured in his ear, slightly anxious. Daniel forced himself to open his eyes, smiling as he turned his head for a slow, sweet kiss.

"Take such good care of me," he mumbled, smiling as Lahr gave a soft, happy laugh in response.

The wave of glamour he felt from Ben was even stronger, his worshipful adoration nearly overwhelming. "Good," he whispered, pressing a kiss to Daniel's forehead, and with that happiness, Daniel let himself drift off to sleep.

~~~~


	2. Chapter 2

_I sent my heart away across the hills  
My jewel, golden haired and fair of skin,  
His eyes like stars, his lips so berry sweet  
His voice the sweetest summer wisp of wind._

_I left last morn in misty meadow cold  
My gold-haired man of sweetest kiss,  
His eyes like stars, his cheek a petaled rose,  
And left behind, my dreams all go amiss._

~~~

The sky was darkening by the time Ben and Aingeala finished setting the last of the great roof beams over the stone building that would act as the gate of their freehold in the mortal world. It was small, barely larger than a stable, though tall enough that even Aingeala could pass through without stooping. Sometimes it was strange to see his formerly little sister a head taller than him, but Ben didn't mind; if tying his life to Daniel meant staying a reasonable enough size to fit into any room with him, it was certainly worth it. In any case, the strength gained by his oath was far greater than any gained by being the size of a mountain.

Daniel was already asleep in the tent, exhausted from his preparations to set the _balefire_. He'd been slowly claiming the space in the dreaming that would become the Freehold, expanding the silvery protection of the trod into a space that would, eventually, become a large enough fort to serve them. It would have been easier to hold more of it in the mortal world, but their agreements with the Nunnehi had been very specific: they would be allowed to stay unchallenged in return for a promise to never harm the mortals, to build no more in the forest than this stone structure, and once the freehold was established to lock the entrance to the trod so that no fae could join them without taking an oath to abide by the same terms. Despite the inconvenience of it, Ben couldn't help but respect their determination to protect the land. And the requests were fair; after all, they were the interlopers.

He sank down onto a large tree trunk with a groan, muscles tired and protesting. Moments later Lahr appeared at his side, handing him a large bowl of a very nice smelling stew before retrieving his own. He leaned into Ben as they ate silently, and Ben let himself enjoy the reassuring warmth of his presence.

"Do you ever miss Hibernia?" He asked when they had finished eating, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

Lahr cuddled into him with a little hum. "I suppose there's some things I miss about Hibernia," he mused. "Mostly people. And hot baths. And music, though the amount of sex we have makes up for it." He grinned as he pressed a kiss to Ben's cheek.

Ben returned his smile, turning into him and returning the kiss. "Do you miss your kith?"

"A little. But none of that is enough to make me even think of regretting coming, if that's what you're asking."

Ben reached up to stroke his fingers through his hair gently, fond and affectionate. "I'm so happy you're with me," he said softly. "More than just the sex. I used to think that no one would truly matter to me beyond Daniel, you know. None of my lovers ever made enough of an impact, nothing was ever more fulfilling than carrying out my oath. But you....."

Lahr's eyes were bright in the firelight as he looked up at him, and Ben pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, arm tightening around him. "You _help_ me. Being able to share that with you... _wanting_ to share that with you...."

"I'm so happy to," Lahr whispered, wrapping his arms up around his shoulders.

"I'm so happy you're with me," Ben murmured again, and claimed his mouth in a kiss, heart aching with love. Despite his tired muscles, part of him just wanted to draw Lahr out into the glade, to find some quiet, grassy spot where they could make love under the stars without disturbing Daniel. But Lahr drew back before he could suggest it, reaching up to cup Ben's face with a hand.

"Can I ask something of you?" he said softly.

Ben turned his face to kiss his palm. "If it is within my power to give you."

"It is." Lahr drew a slow breath. "Ben, I... I'd like to swear my heart to you."

Ben felt a soft rush of dismay at his words. "Lahr, I - "

"I know you can't return it. That's not what I'm asking. I just want to myself."

Ben shook his head. "To swear an oath that cannot be returned? I don't understand...."

Lahr smiled, stroking his fingers up into the short spikes of Ben's hair. "Do you love me?"

"Deeply. Truly. And I'll always do everything I can to honor that outside the bonds of my oath."

Lahr's smile widened, and he leaned close to kiss him, sweet and lingering. "Then that is all the oath I need from you, my love. Please... let me give you my pledge. My love for you is so great that it feels like I can barely stand it. Feeling a passion like this is like fire for a satyr. It fuels us but always holds danger of consuming us. Let me swear my heart to you and it will give me strength and certainty."

Suddenly he could understand what Lahr was asking. "Alright," he breathed, smiling. "Alright. I... I would be honored."

Lahr's smile was heartbreakingly sweet, and he pressed a trembling kiss to his mouth, standing and holding out a hand. "Come with me."

The night air was cool away from the fire, but still comfortable. They walked to where a large rock sat in the middle of the clearing, and when Ben perched on it Lahr slipped down to straddle his lap, cuddling close and wrapping his arms up around Ben's neck.

"Let the moon and the stars be my witness as I pledge you my love," he whispered, and Ben could feel the bright glamour in his words. "I shall hold you in my heart with the passion of a thousand suns. I shall lend you my strength, and share your burdens when I may, so that through love we will both become stronger. Roam though I may, I shall always return to you and let no other remove your memory from me. You are my true love and so shall you stay, no matter where my destiny takes me."

The complete adoration in his oath left Ben speechless; he reached up to stroke trembling fingers over his face and hair, kissing him softly, again and again. "I love you so very much," he whispered finally, lifting Lahr's hand to kiss the soft silver ring that now shone their with all the brightness of his oath. Lahr gave a soft, happy sob in reply, cheeks wet under Ben's touch as he returned his kisses.

Eventually Ben had his wish, and they made love in the soft grass, slow and adoring, until pleasure gave way to exhaustion. Then they slept, twined in each other's arms under the starry night sky.

~~~

 

The freehold was little more than a library when the Selkie arrived, but the grounds were expansive enough to give them more space to build and garden than they could ever need, large enough that it took him over an hour to ride Nuallán along the tall, protective wall that ringed the freehold, acting as a physical and magical barrier against anything that would cause them harm. It had been more exhaustion than Daniel had anticipated, working the magic to form the Dreaming to his will. Far more than it had been when he'd long ago built the small home and workshop that still held half his library in King Liam's lands. But now that the space was set, others could help build, both magically and physically. As soon as the Selkie returned....

"My Lord Daniel?"

The familiar, musical call pulled him from his musings. With a surge of joy he stepped out of the library, then froze.

Norah had safely returned with Silas and Tulia and the Selkie, but that wasn't all. Serah's small band of 8 seal Fae had grown to well over three dozen in number, most of them pulling handcarts loaded with goods and supplies. Mixed among them were more boggans, a several horned Satyrs, three towering, ancient trolls and... was that a redcap?

Daniel's lips parted as he took it all in, stepping towards Serah to give a hug of greeting. "Well met and welcome, my friend... but who.... how...."

"They come to swear Fealty and beg Escheat," Serah said softly. "I know that it's far more than you planned to give host to. But I have vetted everyone myself, they are all willing and able to give their strength, magic and abilities to build the freehold. They will not be a burden on your home."

Ben joined them as well, eyes wide as he looked over the group. Then he turned to Serah, voice low. "Are things at home really so bad?"

"There is..." she hesitated. "A great deal of unrest. The thought of being able to find a safer place for their children....."

"Of course," Daniel murmured. He looked to Ben. "Please bring my standard."

Ben nodded, disappearing to the room at the center of the library where the Balefire burned strong and bright. A few moments later he returned with the standard of House Liam hanging high, the leaves of the oak tree shining silver on the blue banner in the sunlight. 

As he stepped up onto the seat of a bench to fully regard the group, he felt a sudden surge of disappointment. He'd tried not to think about the possibility, not to let himself hope, but he couldn't stop his heart from hoping, from dreaming that he'd find himself looking into emerald green cat slit eyes....

He pushed his disappointment away, calmly outlining the conditions of Escheat - the standard promise of fealty, keeping their agreement with the Nunnehi. A promise to protect the freehold at all costs, to keep safe the irreplaceable knowledge in his library. And finally, to share glamour freely with the freehold, so that all might live safe from Banality within its walls.

Then, with each new subject appropriately forsworn, he retreated back to the library, heart aching. When he touched the stone around his neck it still felt warm, but it gave him little comfort. It was silly to be disappointed when he hadn't finished his quest. Logically, he knew that. But despite all logic he'd still wanted it so badly....

"He wasn't with us when we left." Serah's soft voice behind him, apologetic.

Daniel felt his whole body grow cold and he turned quickly. "He left?"

"Only for a time," Serah replied quickly. "He swore to me he would return before you came back, my lord. In the meantime he felt it necessary that he visit as many freeholds in Hibernia as possible. I'm sorry, my Lord. We waited two weeks and sent messengers to try and find him before we left, but....."

Daniel forced a smile, nodding. "Thank you for your efforts. They were unnecessary, but appreciated. Was he... was he alright, when he left?"

Serah nodded, then turned - Aine had followed behind her, with a small, tawny furred Satyr girl with shining gold girls almost as bright as Daniel's. She hovered nervously, lute in hand, and when Daniel looked at her took a skittish step backwards - right into Ben. She gave a frightened little squeak, but Aine wrapped a comforting arm around her. "It's alright," she murmured, and the Satyr girl gave a little nod.

"Forgive me, my Lord," she said to Daniel bowing low.

"Eion brought Maeve to us," Serah told him quietly. "He spirited her away from the unwanted attentions of one of your kith in the Unseelie court."

"I guarantee your safety here," Daniel kept his voice soft and certain despite the storm of emotions.

Maeve nodded. "He assured me of your kindness and nobility, my lord. He also gave me a message...."

Daniel felt his heart stop and had to remember how to breathe. "... yes?"

Wordlessly, Maeve took the lute that was slung across her back, testing and carefully tuning the strings. Then she began to sing softly, her notes heartrendingly melancholy but at the same time so beautiful that it made Daniel's heart ache. " _I sent my heart away across the hills.... My jewel, golden haired and fair of skin... His eyes like stars, his lips so berry sweet.... His voice the sweetest summer wisp of wind...._ "

Maeve's voice grew a little more sure, eyes falling closed as she sung. " _I left last morn in misty meadow cold, My gold-haired man of sweetest kiss... His eyes like stars, his cheek a petaled rose... And left behind, my dreams all go amiss....._ "

Daniel let his eyes fall closed as she sung. Whether there was magic in her song, or if it was only in the memories of his heart given life again, Daniel felt a warm sense of comfort enfold him, the same resolute certainty he'd felt the last time he'd held Eion in his arms.

"Is that it?" He heard Ben mutter after her words had finished, and Daniel opened his eyes just in time to see Lahr elbow him in the side. "Ow..."

Maeve bit her lip, apologetic. "He said he needed to find the ending before you returned. That's why he needed to travel. I'm sorry...."

Daniel shook his head, smiling. "No. You've done me a great kindness. If I can thank you...."

"This is naught but my own promise fulfilled," she said quickly, shaking her head. "Thank you for giving me leave to serve you, my lord."

"We'll have much to do." Daniel turned to Serah, feeling a rush of strength and energy come over him, and smiled. "Let's build ourselves a home."

~~~

 

Daniel felt his heart swell as he walked through the grand hall late in the evening. Few spaces in the freehold were completed to their final level of grandeur, but the structure was finally complete. For the first time in over two years he'd slept inside the night before, in grand beautiful rooms.

Outside, the mortal world was bright and beautiful and welcoming. The Nunnehi had begun to welcome more interaction, both with them and the mortals, who reacted with the most beautiful glamour to their aid, songs and stories. The Selkies fit in best of all, donning their seal skins to help with the fishing and play with the children in the sea. They'd located a fairy glen in an island not far out to sea, and Daniel had already extended the trod to it, the silvery path secretly winding down into the water, detectable only to the a selkies and himself. In time, perhaps they could build an underwater grotto, a castle in a cave in the dreaming for the Selkies and their guests to live in human form. The thought of diving down with the seals, through secret tunnels to a beautiful Atlantis enthralled him. But first things first.

The freehold would be complete before the summer was out. Then his quest would be complete. He could return to Hibernia, to Eion....

His heart gave a flutter at the thought. Then another crossed his mind. The Freehold was _built_. Couldn't Eion help him finish it? The thought of having his playful pooka lover lend his efforts and glamour to the final state of their home made his heart beat fast with excitement. Perhaps they could leave soon, leave now and bring Eion back.....

Then, just as he'd reached the end of the hall, the world went dark around him with a terrible heaviness. The glamour of the freehold seemed to twist and sour, and Daniel felt his knees give out. He cried out, falling to the floor under a crushing weight of overwhelming despair, rage, and the strongest, most terrible shame....

Just when he thought he couldn't endure it, the darkness lifted, leaving him trembling and panting, trying to catch his wits. A few moments later he heard the pound of footsteps over the pound of his heart, and Ben's voice, urgent. "Are you alright?!"

Daniel swallowed hard, looking up. "... did you feel that?"

"Yes. No one else seemed to. What was it?"

What on earth was he tied to that could have affected him so? Daniel felt a sharp spike of panic and stumbled to his feet. "The _balefire_ \- !"

Ben caught an arm around his waist for support, half dragging him into the library and into the room its center. The _balefire_ still burned bright and strong, and Daniel felt relief wash over him. At his side, though, Ben stiffened.

"Look," he whispered harshly.

Behind the balefire, the blue standard of Liam hung tattered and torn. The once powerful oak tree stood blackened and blighted, its branches completely bare as they reached towards the sky.

Daniel stared, dread heavy. What could ever be powerful enough to cause such a thing? Whatever it was... it couldn't be anything good.

"We have to go back," he found himself saying. "Now. Tonight. Whatever's happened to the King... and I can't lose the rest of my library, there's so much that cannot be replaced...."

Ben turned to face him. "I'll go wherever you go," he said, eyes serious. "But you have to think of the freehold now. If the tide of banality has become so strong that the House of Liam has... if we can't get back...."

Daniel nodded, and swallowed hard, tears pricking at his eyes. "I know. But I... I have to find Eion. I'll give the freehold to someone else to hold. Just until we return. I'll give it to Lahr."

Ben's eyes darted away, lips pinching tight. "I... if you will allow it, love, I... Ronan is well used to being ridden now, so perhaps...."

Daniel understood his hesitation in a flash. He touched Ben's arm. "Lahr is most welcome with us if that is his will. I will ask Serah to hold the freehold."

"Thank you," Ben whispered, pressing a trembling kiss to his forehead. Then he stepped back. "Go find Serah. I'll find Lahr and get our things together."

The Selkie agreed with worried reluctance, helping Daniel set even more protective spells around the library and its precious contents. Giving her the both the power and the burden of the Freehold left Daniel feeling strangely empty - lighter, but without the reassuring energy at the edge of his awareness that he hadn't realized he'd gotten used to until then.

The gate of the trod was the strongest enchantment he'd created beyond the protections on the freehold itself. He and Ben pressed their rings into specific points on the door. "The House of Liam bids you open," Daniel murmured, then held back as Ben and Lahr took the horses through the gate. He slipped the ring off his finger, handing it to Serah. "Guard this well. The gate will remain closed and the Freehold completely secure until we return. Your kith must guard the trod to your glen and share the knowledge of it with no one. When we return I will swim to you there to retrieve the other key and open the Trod again."

Serah nodded, her black liquid Selkie eyes bright with tears. She took hold of both his hands, holding tightly. "My kith will protect your freehold and keep it safe until you return, my Lord. You have my solemn oath and promise. But if... if something is to happen...." She lifted his left hand higher, pressing a trembling kiss to the knuckle of his stub of a pinky finger, and as she did Daniel realized for the first time that her own hand was a match to it.

The spell was being spread. Perhaps it would be their only means of salvation after all.

He nodded, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Until we meet again."

Then, catching hold of Nuallán's saddle, he vaulted up onto his back, urging his steed into a run without looking back to the others. Whatever had happened, time was of the essence. There was far too much at stake to hold anything back.

~~~


	3. Chapter 3

They crossed the sea in the dreaming in a night and a day, their boat driven forward along the Trod before howling winds that Ben thought must be Daniel's doing. He tried to rest beside Lahr on the voyage, but his dreams were restless and troubled.

Daniel didn't sleep. Once they were back on solid ground he rode as if fleeing the cry of the _Banesidhe_ , pushing them through the night and most of the next day. The steeds kept pace, fueled by the strength of Daniel's will, but as the sky darkened he could see Nuallán begin to stumble, Daniel sagging in the saddle.

He urged Raghnaid up beside him, reaching out to catch the reins. "Daniel. Daniel, stop. We must make camp."

Daniel shook his head, teeth grit. "We're fine. The steeds have no need for rest as long as I can - "

"You're falling off your damn horse!"

Nuallán stopped short at his yell, and Ben pulled up Raghnaid, dismounting to go back to him. Daniel had slid off as well, his face pressed to his horse's flank, shoulder's shaking.

Wordlessly Ben drew him close, enfolding him in his arms. Daniel let his forehead fall against his breastplate with a soft thunk. "I should have left earlier," he sobbed, soft and helpless. "We were done enough. I could have left earlier, I could have been with him. If something's happened - "

"Shh...." Ben pressed a kiss to his hair. "We'll find him. I promise. No matter what. He promised he'd be there when you returned. I know he'll keep that promise." He forced himself to believe the words as he said them. He had to.

They'd been crossing a great plain, and Lahr had already dismounted ahead of them, pulling the packs off Ronan to let the young stallion roll in the grass, then turning to the packs with the tent on Raghnaid. Ben gave him a grateful smile, then leaned down to press a soft kiss to Daniel's tear-stained cheeks. "Come, love. Rest. Eat. We'll camp cold and be on the road again before you know it. You won't be of any use if you kill yourself before we get anywhere.

Mutely, Daniel nodded, numbly letting them push food into his hands, then guide him into the tent after they'd eaten. Lahr settled down beside Daniel wordlessly so they blanketed him with his body, finding Ben's hand where it rested gently on Daniel's hip and giving it a soft squeeze.

What he didn't expect was for Daniel to turn into Lahr, turning his face up for a kiss with a soft, shivering breath. One hand reached back to tug Ben closer, his voice barely a whisper. "Please...."

"Anything you need," Lahr murmured, with the same soft ferverance Ben had so often murmured himself, and in the dim light of the setting sun his eyes flicked to Ben's.

Ben nodded, drawing close, and quietly they worked together to bring Daniel the release he needed to finally find rest.

~~~

"Halt! Identify yourselves!"

Daniel didn't remember the gates to Duke Somhairle's freehold being quite so imposing - or well guarded. He drew himself up tall before the spear points of the two trolls that stood before the gate. "I am Lord Daniel of House Liam, these are my guards. We seek safe passage back to Hibernia."

"Oathbreakers and exiles are not welcome here."

Oathbreakers? What on earth had happened? He heard Ben give a low growl behind him and held up a hand to keep him silent. "I bear the token of the Duke's sister, Lady Iselene, granting me and my retainer safe passage and safe harbor in any lands held by House Eiluned, in her name. I demand to see the Duke immediately."

The guards glanced to each other. One nodded. The spears were lowered. "Dismount. Court is in session. I will escort you."

Ben and Lahr flanked him silently, Lahr taking the leads for the horses, and Daniel didn't miss that Ben had moved the _Bheistgheas_ from being stored at his back to hang at his side, ready for battle.

"Keep the horses ready," he said to Lahr softly as the reached the castle, then followed their escort up into the building and into the grand hall.

The court grew quickly silent as they walked through the doors, and Duke Somhairle rose from his throne. Before he could speak, a young Sidhe knight, armor resplendent in House Gwydion green and gold, turned and stalked towards them in fury, drawing his sword. Instantly Ben was before him, parrying the lord's strike with the sheath of the _Bheistgheas_ and sending him sprawling with the a mighty shove. Then he drew the blade. Instantly every knight around them drew in response.

"Not in my court!" Duke Somhairle's voice boomed through the hall, even as the young Gwydion got back to his feet.

"I will not share court with oathbreakers!"

"Fight me and you'll see exactly how much of an oathbreaker I am not!" Ben spat back.

The young Gwydion surged forward only to be yanked back by the Duke himself. "Weapons down - all of you! That's an order!"

Ben took a step back towards Daniel, watching the room as he slowly sheathed his sword. The Duke's lips tightened as he regarded Daniel. "This man and his retainer are under the protection of my sister. They will remain unharmed while in this Duchy and on our Trods. This is my word and as such is without contestation, and to break it is to break the Escheat yourselves!" He glanced to Daniel and jerked his head back towards his throne. "Come with me."

Ben turned to let Daniel in front of him, and as he passed the Gwydion Knight the man surged forward to spit in his face. "Your King is anathema!" he snarled, and only Daniel's quick grab of Ben's arm kept the man from getting knocked flying.

"Tomás! Enough!" The Duke whirled, white-faced with rage. "Guards - escort him from my lands."

The room broke into protests, and Tomás' face went red. "He's the exile, not I!"

"And I am Lord of my Domain, and will not be disobeyed! Begone by sundown!"

"Your Grace. No harm was done." Daniel lifted a sleeve with forced calm, willing his hand not to tremble as he wiped the saliva from his face. "Please consider clemency."

"I don't need an oathbreaker to speak for me!"

"Out!" Somhairle hollered, and two heavily armed satyr caught hold of the knight, pulling him towards the door. The Duke caught hold of Daniel's shoulder, towing him from the room before anyone else could take offense.

"Your Grace, please forgive me for causing such upheaval in your court - " Daniel started as they entered his his private study.

The Duke shook his head. "It's fine. I have no love for being forced to enforce decisions made on the other side of the world. But you're lucky you bear that token, or I could give you no aid, friend or no. And it may not open as many doors as it should, now."

"Why? Your grace, I find my House's emblem blighted and desolate, I find myself named _Oathbreaker_ but I know not why!"

Somhairle gave him a grim look and nodded to one of the room's benches, sitting down across from it himself. "What I was told was that King Liam betrayed all of Faerie by making an enemy of the Church of the One God."

Daniel felt his blood run cold. While he'd always been in the smaller faction of the House that had been wary of the spread of the mortal religion, King Liam had been a firm supporter of not only allowing the mortals to worship as they may, but of the potential for encouraging glamour in their reverie . "He wouldn't."

"He did, and then raised his blade to Duke Haleson of House Gwydion, in his own court. Killed two Sidhe knights of his retainer."

"They say that it happened over the love of a Mortal woman." Sir Aidan's voice was soft behind them, and the Duke's Fiona consort moved to sit by him. "Haleson stole her from the moral lands and ravaged her."

"Regardless," Somhairle said, giving his consort a pointed look. "Given the current situation over there with the church and its witch hunts, and violating the laws of the Escheat and the right of Demesne on top of that... House Liam has been deemed unfit to rule, declared oathbreakers, and has been exiled from Arcadia. Your best bet, my friend, is to go back to your little freehold and close your doors against any who are not of your house for a decade or so until tempers simmer down."

With each world, Daniel's heart sank lower. That Faerie kind in general were still safe was a relief, but the tale that the Duke told was too terrible to contemplate. Exiled from the true dreaming, their homeland? And, if the scene in the hall had been anything to go by, unwelcome in the holdings of any other house. He shook his head. "I can't go home. I made a promise, I have to find someone. And I have invaluable records in the lands of King Liam that I must recover - "

"I don't know who controls those lands now. Likely Gwydion. You still have Duke Collan's token, yes? That should give you safe passage through the lands of House Fiona, though don't expect much else. My sister's token will hold less clout in Eiluned, though I will add my own protection to it, for what little it's worth."

He held out his hand, and Daniel reached into his robe to find the chain with their tokens.

"At least your true love still holds you in high regard," remarked Aidan, and Daniel froze, staring.

"Excuse me?"

He gave a nod towards Daniel's chest. "That's a Fiona Heartstone, isn't it? I don't think I've ever seen one glow so brightly. They must love you very much."

Daniel stared down at the polished garnet in its gold setting, which looked no different than the day he'd received it. The Duke peered curiously as well. "Mm. I've seen one of those before."

"Not likely," Aiden gave him an adoring smile. "Each one is quite unique to its creator."

"No, I'm sure I have. Big garnet like that, same shape, same setting. Quite beautiful. One of my thanes wore it when we first settled... handsome little Satyr. I think he died, poor thing...." The Duke looked to his consort. "Why don't I have one?"

Aidan laughed, cuddling into him. "Because we've never had need to be apart, silly. Takes a lot of effort to make one when I can just give you glamour directly."

"I can't see a glow," Daniel said, looking up at him. 

"No? Maybe it takes a Fiona's eyes, then."

"I'm sorry, but... what does it do?"

Aidan's eyebrows raised. "They didn't tell you? It allows your lover to share glamour with you across great distances. You can tap into it like a glamour well, though it should be a bit of a last resort, obviously."

"Obviously," Daniel echoed. He touched his fingers to the stone, reaching for the first time with magical sensibilities and feeling the distinct thrum of a powerful well of glamour within. _Eion_. He swallowed hard. "So if it's glowing... as long as there's glamour, he's alright, then?

"Oh, of course. And he still holds you in high regard, despite this whole exile thing."

The sweetest relief rushed through him, and Daniel had to close his eyes to keep from tears. He managed to clear his throat. "Thank you. You've done me a great kindness. I'm afraid I have little to repay you with."

"We're doing what we can to repay you," Somhairle returned. He gazed at Daniel evenly as he handed back his sister's token. "I know what you gave my sister in return for her token. I know... first hand, you might say. Your gift was beyond value. Aidan and I will give you all the help we can - including, if you will take them, the colors of our houses for you and your retainer. Wearing the blue and silver of the oak tree is a bit like wearing a target right now, as you've experienced."

"I would appreciate that. Thank you." 

He stood as they left, moving to where Ben stood behind the couch. Ben's lips were drawn tight. "I won't hide behind the colours of a house that's cast us out. I'm no oathbreaker!"

"Of course not." Daniel place a hand on his arm, trying to soothe him. "Has your strength diminished in any way, my love?"

"No."

Daniel tried to smile encouragingly. "Then you have received no punishment for oathbreaking."

"And I'll continue to wear the colours of our house with pride. I won't hide like a coward, I must defend our honor - "

"You must defend _me_. Please."

"It's not fair! Everything you've worked for is just for naught, now? Your name, your reputation?"

Daniel shook his head. "We can't change that. We need to focus on what's important and get back home. Please, Ben."

It went very against Trollish sensibilities, Daniel knew. But Ben gave a terse nod, then bent to kiss his hand. "Of course. I'm sorry. My oath is only to you. I'll do as you ask. We can use Duke Collan's name to get through Cymru. We'll have to look at Lady Iselene's maps, but I'm certain we can set a path through Fiona lands at least as far as Albion...."

Daniel's lips pursed as he considered it. "No. I'll open a trod from Hibernia."

"That kind of magic - "

"Can't be helped. We can't chance traveling the mortal world. It will take too long to secure passage to the mainland. We go to Hibernia, find Eion. Travel through the Dreaming to my books. Then come home and be done with all this mess."

Ben nodded, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead. "As you wish."

~~~

"He isn't here."

Lady Iselene's words were a punch to the gut. Daniel struggled to pull breath. "What? But...."

Behind him, he heard Ben curse vehemently under his breath, muttering something about catgut.

"He was here," the Lady said, voice softening. "When Collan was summoned for the trial of King Liam, Eion went with him. He was quite in a tizzy with worry for you."

"But not enough to bloody stay put," Ben growled.

"It's fine," Daniel forced himself to say. "It's fine. We'll stick to the plan. My Lady, if he comes back, please ask him to wait for me here."

"Please truss him from head to toe," Ben added.

"And if you have any way to get word to Duke Collan...."

Lady Iselene nodded. "Of course. Be careful."

Leaving Hibernia felt like his heart was being ripped in two. They were supposed to be reunited here. Eion promised....

"We can stay and wait as long as you like," Ben murmured softly as they followed Lady Iselene's escort through the courtyard of her freehold.

Daniel shook his head, blinking back tears. "No. No, I... I must see to my books. We stay with the plan. Eion will come."

He slid from Nuallán's saddle as they reached the edge of the Lady's holdings, the silvered trods of the dreaming stretching out in front of them. It was hard to ignore the greatest of them, the bold, shining road to Arcadia that he could never again travel. He allowed his heart a moment of ache for the loss. Then he gathered together all the glamour and magics at his disposal - all but the precious point of brightness at his throat - and reached for the land that had been home for so very long, starting to weave together a path for them.

The Near-Dreaming was ancient here, fraught with the paths and energies of thousands of his kind. It took far more time to build here than it did in the New World, where nothing else existed to hinder his efforts. By the time he finished he was shaking from the effort of it, and when Ben pulled him up into the saddle behind him on Raghnaid, he couldn't offer protest.

"Rest. Lahr will lead Nuallán," Ben murmured, pinning Daniel's arms securely under his. The encouragement was unnecessary; Daniel sagged against his back, the world going dark.

~~~

He awoke once to find himself in the shelter of a Faerie glade, wrapped in blankets, curled between the roots of a great tree. Ben was a few feet away, speaking with Lahr in low voices, and between them the glade's heartstone lay curled in one of the tree's roots, its glamour warm and comforting. He tried to determine how they'd gotten there, but exhaustion was too much. He slept again.

~~~

 

"Please let us stay a little longer - "

"Friend of Duke Collan or no, your presence puts us at risk. You've had two days."

Two days? Daniel struggled to open his eyes and make sense of things. Ben, his posture tense, with Lahr at his side, stood before a Fiona Sidhe, flanked by guards. He forced himself to sit up.

"It's fine - "

"Daniel, don't - "

"I'm fine," he insisted, and stumbled to his feet. "I'm much recovered, my Lord. My immense gratitude for your kindness. I have little to repay you, but - "

"Your debt was pre-paid. Now begone by nightfall."

"Of course." He looked up at Ben as they left. "Two days? You left the path for two days?"

"I had to. You were out. Nuallán was stumbling. Your glamour - "

"I'm fine," he insisted. "We need to get to the Court. If we're too late - " he stopped as Ben turned, reaching up with horror to where the tip of one pointed ear had been cut clean off. "Ben! What did you...."

"We have little left to bargain with," he said softly, glancing away. "I shared the spell you gave us. I will always do whatever is necessary to keep you safe."

Daniel gave a soft moan, stroking his fingers gently along the edge. "Ben...."

"Just please take care of yourself." Ben's eyes were pleading. "If you need to rest...."

"I am much restored," Daniel said - truthfully, with the veil of sleep shaken off, he did feel better. "I promise I will tell you if I am not so."

Ben nodded, though his mouth was still pinched with worry. "Then we ride again."

~~~

At first Daniel didn't even realize that they'd reached the Court. Around them, the Dreaming darkened, the landscape becoming rocky and barren. Ahead, two great oak trees bracketed the silver path, their trunks blackened and split in two as if struck by lightning. Daniel slowed Nuallán as they approached, and as they passed realized with a rush of dread that they'd left Faerie altogether.

In the mortal world, the forest that had formerly overlapped with King Liam's lands in Faerie had been razed to the ground. All that remained of the great trees were the burned charcoal of their stumps. Had the mortals done this? Chopped down every tree, carried out such destruction, caused so much death - for what? To be rid of the Fae they'd once worshipped?

Ben pulled up alongside him. "Daniel - "

"No!" Spurring Nuallán with a hard kick, he wheeled around and back through the gate, turning down paths he'd known all his life. With the court seemingly abandoned by its Fae inhabitants, the destruction carried over from the mortal world into the Near-Dreaming. Great stone manors lay in blackened, crumbling ruins, their once beautiful gardens nothing but ash. The grand, ancient trees had become little more than pillars of charcoal. And his home....

Daniel cried out, despair rushing over him as he jumped from Nuallán's back. He could hear Ben calling his name, but he ignored him, pushing at the great wooden door to his home. The timbers crumbled at his touch. The stand of trees he'd once trained to grow together so perfectly were stripped bare and burnt, black skeletal fingers reaching up towards the sky.

Nothing remained inside but a barren ring of dirt, covered in ash.

He was too late.

For a moment it felt like he couldn't breathe. The terrible, chilling sense of loss overwhelmed his senses. How could the bright, beautiful energy of King Liam's court possibly be gone? How had it all been abandoned? Everyone was gone, friends and family driven away and scattered to the winds. Everything he'd left behind was destroyed.

Then he felt Ben's hand touch his shoulder gently, and everything boiled over.

He looked up at his protector helplessly. "We've lost, Ben. We've lost everything. Everything I left here. All my books. Hundreds of years of knowledge just... gone, completely lost forever, I - " a strangled sob escaped his throat, helplessness warring with the desperate grief of it all.

"We're still here," Ben said softly. "We're not lost. Daniel - "

"What does that matter? Everything we've done has gone up in smoke - for what, politics? Power? Our entire House is gone, Ben! Liam will never gather again. Everything we did, everyone we worked so hard to inspire or protect - what the hell was the point of it all?"

"Stop! Stop. Of course it mattered." Ben caught his shoulders, large hands burning hot through the thin Fiona squire robes Sir Aidan had loaned him. Daniel shivered under his touch, drawing a sharp sob, the chill sinking into his bones. Even the sun had abandoned their House, left these desolate lands to freeze.

"Daniel. Listen to me. The stories still exist because we do. We'll find them again. We'll go home and write them down again together. I promise."

"But what's the point?" Tears blurred his vision, but he couldn't bring himself to wipe them away. "Even our new home is just delaying the inevitable. Mortals have stopped dreaming, and we can't turn back that tide no matter what we do and how hard we try!"

"Stop, please. We haven't lost yet, I promise. Daniel, we have to keep fighting - "

"Why? We can't even keep from doing terrible things like this to each other. Why should we even try to fight it?"

"Stop, please! You can't say that! You can't think like that!" He could hear a desperate fear in Ben's voice, and part of him knew he should try and reassure him. But what good would it do? He'd only be delaying the inevitable, delaying the complete death of Faerie, the erasure of hundreds of years of beauty, all the glamour and dreams completely gone without a trace....

Then he heard another voice from the mist. "I hoped I'd find you here, Oathbreaker."

Ben cursed, pulling him away, and Daniel tried to find the source of the voice. Green and gold figures on horseback seemed to surround them... was that the Gwydion knight who'd assailed them in Duke Somhairle's court? How had he found them in all this darkness?

"We're just leaving. We mean no trouble." Ben pushed him against Nuallán's warm flank and hissed, "Mount!"

"Trouble? You've already caused me trouble, and you'll pay dearly for that insult! There's no-one here to protect you now!"

Daniel grabbed hold of Nuallán's saddle and managed to haul himself into it - why was he so dizzy? He could hear Ben yelling back at the figures in the swirling mist, drawing his sword. He tried to focus. Were they going to attack? Had they already cast some spell on him, to cause this darkness? He needed to defend, needed to focus his magics - 

Suddenly Lahr was beside him on Ronan, reaching out to grab Nuallán's reins. "Ride!" he cried, and Daniel spurred Nuallán into action in response, thundering after Lahr, through the swirling darkness of the dreaming until they burst from between the splintered oak trees and out into the mortal world.

The sudden transition was disorienting, and all Daniel could do was hold on as they thundered onwards. Then, as they raced past farmlands, a terrible realization cut through the fog. "Ben!"

"He'll be fine!" Lahr yelled back.

"No - no, Lahr we can't - we have to go back, we - "

"He'll be fine, he'll catch up! I have to get you safe, I have to - "

Then, through the stillness of the air, came the great and terrible clang of a bell.

_Dong_

The note cut through him in a wave of pain, sharp and piercing.

_Dong_

Daniel doubled over and clutched at Nuallán's neck, a harsh cry escaping his lips. He couldn't think to wonder where it came from, could barely stay astride, could barely breathe - 

_Dong_

Under him, Nuallán gave a mighty heave, and suddenly Daniel was being thrown. The wind was knocked from his lungs as the heavy, thudding pain of his impact with the ground joined the thrumming agony of the notes.

_Dong_

"Daniel!" Lahr's cry, broken and desperate. Another note sounded, and then Lahr was beside him, pulling him up. Movement was agony, each breath a gasping, keening cry. He could hear Lahr's voice - desperate, sobbed entreaties, but he couldn't understand them, couldn't reply. He felt himself draped forward over something, and then they were moving, rough and uneven as the bells continued to toll that terrible pain over and over.

Just when he thought he couldn't possibly survive it, the tones faded to silence, and the world blacked out around him.

~~~~


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OH GOD I'M SORRY.

For a time, Daniel drifted, cradled in darkness. Once he heard voices, and struggled to surface. "Ben..."

He heard a soft murmur, a gentle caress to his forehead, soothing against his raw, aching nerves. He gave in to their urging and relaxed again.

When he finally became aware of his surroundings, he was laid out on a pallet at the side of a small hall, dimly lit with beams of sunlight from windows near the ceiling. It was quiet apart from the soft murmur of voices, and the slow movements of the mortal painter that sat in front of him, quietly working on a section of a beautiful frescoed wall. The calm confidence of his glamour was like a gentle caress, soothing his raw, battered nerves.

Lahr's voice was soft. "How are you feeling?"

"Where's Ben?" Daniel felt a spike of panic, and struggled to sit up, gasping at the blossom of pain. Why did it take so much effort?

"Shh, lay still, lay still. He'll find us. You need to rest."

Before him, the mortal painter glanced back at them, offering a brief, soft smile, then going back to work.

Daniel managed to turn his head to look up at Lahr. "Where are we?"

"You're in the Aulne Monastery." A voice said, low and warm. A moment later they were joined by a comely young man in rough homespun, who sat down next to the pallet with a bowl of something that smelled better than anything Daniel could remember. There was something strange about him, though, and Daniel blinked hard, trying to focus. He didn't resist as Lahr lifted him, moving to support his head. The young man brought a spoon of broth to his lips, rich and warm.

"Don't worry, there's no church bells here," Lahr told him, and Daniel remembered the terrible, painful tones from their flight.

"That's what those were?"

"Mm." The monk fed him another spoonful of broth. "Pride of the town. To call the people to God and drive the demons away. Our kind are not well loved at the moment."

Our kind? Daniel shut his eyes tight, then opened them again. For a brief moment the Monk's features were completely clear and startling familiar. He stared, unbelieving. "... Lord Bricius?"

"Brother Bries, currently." The monk smiled, his hand gentle on Daniel's hair. "Eat. You were nearly lost to us."

"I was trying to take you to the Duchy of Duchess Ambrosia," Lahr said softly. "Ben said that she was a friend....."

"Mmm." Daniel gave a soft smile at the remembrance. Her younger brother had been more than a friend, occasionally.

"I didn't know if we'd make it. Those bells... I've never experienced anything like that. Could barely see, let alone.... so I gave Ronan his head and asked him to find Glamour. He came here."

"We do what we can." The monk - Bricius - Bries - smiled, patiently lifting another spoon of broth to his lips.

Daniel swallowed it. "I don't understand," he said softly. "How are you here? We found you reborn in Cymru, but you....."

"Didn't remember anything? Not when you found me, no, though I do vaguely remember the shining lords who spirited me away in dreams that night. That was my lifetime before this."

Suddenly Daniel realized what he was hearing. "You remember. You - the spell, the changing....."

"Yes. I'll tell you everything later. You must rest."

The spark of hope the realization brought was near painful in its intensity, and he struggled again to sit up regardless of his body's protests. "No. No, this changes everything. You remember! How - "

"Lay still," Bries said again, more sternly, pressing a hand to his chest, and Daniel couldn't help but comply. He sagged back against Lahr, lips parting obediently to another spoon of broth. He let them feed him the rest of the broth, watching the monk as he did. To his vision, the man flickered between the comely youth in homespun and the ageless Sidhe Lord he'd known well. 

Finally, when the bowl was empty, Daniel spoke again. "The spell worked. We gave up too soon. You've regained your identity. And the others...?"

"There are a few others here, mostly commoners who have undertaken the change. I have not found Lady Temhaire, but we try to keep a low profile. I've only made contact with a few of our house."

"Our fallen house," Daniel murmured, and felt himself grow cold at the reminder.

"Don't think on that," Lahr said softly. "Think on what Lord Bries is saying. It works, Daniel. Our salvation."

The monk nodded. "Rest now. I'll tell you more later."

Rest. Yes. He was so tired.... He gave a soft murmur of agreement, and was asleep almost before Lahr had laid him down again.

~~~

 

Four Sidhe knights were not a concern for Ben, especially not when they were all young, posturing prats. What was a concern was devoting his full concentration to the battle when moments before he'd watched his charge overwhelmed by a spiral of helplessness, becoming peaked and visibly weakened as despair dragged him downwards. It was something he'd never seen, never thought he'd see in his companion, and were it not for his oath to strengthen him he might have become completely helpless to fear in the face of it.

As it was, he'd had to grit his teeth and force it out of his mind. He has to trust that Lahr would keep Daniel safe, get him away from the ruined lands of King Liam that were affecting him so dangerously. He'd catch up with them once he'd taken care of these pompous brats.

Had he been able to run the damn things through and be done with them, it would have been easy. But these were Fae, not chimerical monsters, and Seelie ones at that. He and Daniel didn't need to deal with any more unpleasant consequences of infighting than they already were.

The mouthy leader - Tomás, Ben remembered - charged him first, at the same time as one of his friends. Ben blocked his blow with one of his arm guards, then unhorsed him with a mighty blow like he'd wanted to when the uncultured swine had dared to spit in Daniel's face in the court of Duke Somhairle. The second Knight was stopped easily with a one-handed parry with the _Bheistgheas_. Then he grabbed the great sword with both hands and slammed it into the Sidhe's forged steel with all his strength. Even the most expertly forged blade of House Dougal was no match for what was once a spine from a Wyvern; the steel splintered and shattered under the force of his blow.

He held the sword at guard. He had a clear path to Raghnaid, but as much as he wanted to race off and ensure Daniel's safety, this lot would only keep hunting them until he took care of them. "Alright. Which one of you brats is next?"

The knight with the broken sword pulled up hard, his horse strong back skittishly. "You shouldn't be that strong."

"Surprise." Ben couldn't help but smirk. One of the others spurred his horse towards him, and Ben's blow knocked his blade from his hands. He smacked his horse hard on its ass, jumping back as it bucked to kick him and instead unseated his rider. Then he lunged for the last rider and sliced through the cinch of his saddle with exacting precision; with a whiny the horse jerked away, and tack and Knight slid off to the ground.

Ben brought up his guard again. "You don't know who he is, do you? You don't know how old we are?" 

Tomás has managed to recover from the his blow and rushed him on foot. He showed more discipline this time around, but within a few blows Ben had shattered his sword and knocked him to his ass again. Breathing hard, he gave an insolent grin. "I don't care who you are. But if he begs prettily enough I'll let him be my whore."

Ben swung hard with a surge of rage, and only Tomás' quickly raised shield kept him from being cleaved in two. The metal shattered under the blow, and Ben shoved it away, planting a knee on his chest and shoving him to the ground. Then he dropped his sword and tore off the knight's helmet, crushing it into a ball between his hands. He threw the twisted metal back towards his companions.

"You are going to leave, and swear to me now that you will pursue us no more. If you ever lift a finger to try and harm him in any way, ever, I swear on my honor that I will kill you."

"Tomás, let's just go," one of his friends called.

For a long moment Tomás glared at him. Then he have a terse nod. "Fine."

"Swear it!"

"Fine, I swear."

Ben let him up, watching him warily as he made his way back to his friends. Tomás mounted his horse, then sneered back at him. "Wouldn't want to screw the sloppy ass of a troll's cast-off slut, anyway!" he yelled, then spurred his horse into a run.

Ben's hands clenched, and only the urgent need to find Daniel held him back from pursuing and slicing the blaggard's head clean off. He forced himself to sheath his sword, throwing it onto his back and mounting Raghnaid.

Thankfully there was no sign of the Gwydion knights as he rode towards the gate. Beyond it, he could see the land stretch out beyond the ruined forest. Good. Surely with the horses' preternatural speed they would be halfway to the Dutchy by now. All he has to do was catch up.

He urged Raghnaid faster, flying away from the forest and over the fields. Suddenly she whinnied and pulled up fast, stopping before a crumpled, pale mound on the ground. It took Ben a moment to realize that it was some broken old nag that had obviously been ridden until it had keeled over, no more than skin and bones.

"We don't have time for this," he told her, trying to kick her back into a run, even as she stretched down to nuzzle the nag's head. Then the nag gave a weak whinney, rolling into its side, and with a rush of horror Been recognized the broken silver oak tree embossed on the saddle..

Nuallán.

He drew a sharp breath, dismounting to kneel by his head. The stallion's coat, formerly a glorious shining bronze, was a dull flax peppered with gray, stretched thin over his ribs as he gasped for breath. And for him to be in such a state.... how was Daniel?

Ben quickly undid the cinch and Daniel's packs, trying them up on Raghnaid. Then he took Nuallán's lead, trying to urge him to his feet. "Come on, you can do this. Let me take you to Daniel. We'll go slow."

The horse huffed, putting forth a mighty effort to roll, his ears pinned back with a groan of pain as he struggled. Despite a valiant effort, he couldn't get his legs under him. Sides having, he hung his head.

Ben knelt again to cradle it. "Come on," he plead softly. "Don't leave him now. Please. He needs you...."

Raghnaid nuzzled his neck with an encouraging whiny, but Nuallán just went limp, eyes rolling back as he looked up at Ben pleadingly. 

His pain was all too obvious, and Ben's responsibility all too clear.

Afterwards he cut off a lock of his mane, braiding it and tucking it into his pack, heart aching. It seemed cruel to leave him there unburied after so long, after so many years of valiant companionship. But for now, the living were more important. 

He mounted Raghnaid and hurried on.

There was no sign of Daniel of Lahr as he rode down the river valley that lead to Duchess Ambrosia's freehold, nor at the gates when he reached them. He dismounted before the guard, praying they were already inside. "Please, my oathsworn charge was to wait her for me. Lord Daniel of Liam. Is he inside the freehold?"

The troll guarding the gate have him a sympathetic look. "No, lad. We've had no one come by today. Especially not one from his house."

What on earth had happened to them, when he'd sent them away? Ben felt a surge of guilt. He should have been with them. But there was no way to have known....

The large, grizzled troll leaned forward, voice softening. "Your charge is still well? He may not be welcome inside, but I'll keep word for him here, of you want to go look."

"He's still alive," Ben affirmed. "If he weren't, is certainly feel that failure."

"Then don't give up hope, lad."

Ben nodded slowly, trying to think. He could go search, but where? And if he found Daniel too late....

No. He needed help, he needed to find Daniel now. Whatever it took.

He took a deep breath, looking up at the troll. "Could a beg a missive to the Duchess? Tell her I come from the Lore-Master of Liam, and I have something very valuable to offer her."

He wasn't kept waiting long. Court was not in session, but several other Sidhe were in the Duchess's company, working on long, elegant gowns of silk and magic, attended by boggans with their arms full of sewing supplies. Off to one side, a young Satyr girl played quiet, beautiful tones on her lute, her soft voice sweet and pretty.

Duchess Ambrosia stepped away to speak with him at the side of the room, giving him a nod of acknowledgement as Ben bowed low. "Well met. Please convey my regards and my regret to your Lord for the fall of his great house. We Fiona know a bit of what it's like to bear the consequences of a Leader who's allowed herself to be foolishly entangled with mortals.

But you were never exiled, Ben thought, forcing himself to smile and hold back the words. "My thanks, your grace. In truth, this is why I begged an audience. I need to beg your Grace's assistance to locate him. We were separated in a skirmish, and he's badly injured. If I could beg your assistance - a mage who can cast a locating spell or scry for him, a guide - "

He watched the Duchess's lips tighten as she gazed back at him. "My guard said you had something valuable for me."

"Yes. I do." He couldn't tell the tale as eloquently as Daniel with his clear voice and honeyed words, but it had been enough to barter their stay in the vale. It had to be enough now. "You may have heard tell of a certain undertaking by the strongest mages in House Liam, some time ago, who secreted themselves away for three and thirty years. They sought to build a spell that would save the Fae from the rising tide of Banality in the world, they sought - 

But as he talked, something about the melody of the Satyr's song tugged at his memory, enough that it pulled his attention from the extremely important matter at hand. _"I left last morn in misty meadow cold... my gold-haired man of sweetest kiss...."_

Ben felt a shock at the recognition, and was across the room in seconds, catching hold of the Satyr girl's shoulders. "That song! Where did you learn it?"

He could hear Duchess Ambrosia's slighted gasp behind him. "Excuse me?"

The satyr girl stared up at him, wide-eyed. "The song? Do you like it?"

His rudeness would not allow him much time. "Tell me where you learned it. It's important!"

"Um, there was a pooka here from Hibernia...."

"Where is he? Is he here still?"

"I - he left a few days ago - "

"Thank you." He returned to throw himself at the Duchess's feet, pressing his forehead to the stone. "Forgive my rudeness, I beg you, but this matter is of exceedingly great import - "

"Be glad I don't yet have the spell," she hissed. "The rumors that it has been shared with you common kiths before Us are greatly upsetting."

"I will change that," Ben promised. "I'll give it to anyone in your court that you choose, providing all are in attendance for one presentation. But I must ask of you first - "

"You must ask of me? You should give it to me, troll. I order it."

He could feel her will press against him, but it was not as strong as his need.He raised himself to look up at her. "Forgive me, your grace, but the strength of the oath I have taken is greater than even your noble will. Give me the resources to locate my lord, and to locate and retrieve that damn pooka as quickly as possible. Swear that you will open your Duchy to us and give us anything that is needed to make Daniel well again. Then I will give you your spell."

"How do even know that you have it?"

"I give you my word. I swear it on my honor as a warrior."

Duchess Ambrosia frowned, regarding him for a long moment. Then she gave a terse nod, and looked back to her page. "Call Lord Adair. Tell him it is my will that we give this Troll whatever he needs."

~~~

 

The hall - the chapel - was dark when he awoke again. He could feel the warmth of Lahr's form curled against his aching body, his breathing deep, asleep. A bank of candles nearby flickered against the chapel walls and frescos, near where Bries sat with a small prayer book. He looked over after a moment, giving him a soft smile and moving to sit closer. "How are you feeling?"

Daniel tried to take stock. "Weak," he said finally, truthfully. "And bruised. I feel like I've been drug behind a horse for miles. I don't understand...."

"I know enough of what happened to our house to know how difficult it must have been for you to take," Bries said softly. "Between that and the church bells..." he shook his head. "I think that bauble around your neck may have been the only thing that saved you.

 _Eion_. He struggled to lift a hand to touch it, and the stone was warm and soothing against his fingers.

"I'm not sure your guard realizes how bad things were, but I didn't want to say anything. He was quite affected himself. I hoped bringing you out into the chapel might help you recover...." He nodded towards the half-painted section of the fresco. "Brother Georges is one of our most devoted dreamers."

The painter had laid down his brushes for the night, so Daniel could more clearly see the in-progress work. The forms were still rough, but the faces held beautiful detail - Lahr's, his softly curling hair and blue eyes unmistakable, cradling another figure who laid limply in his arms. Daniel recognized his own likeness, though his skin was sallow, cheeks hollowed like a man near death. "Us?"

Bries regarded it as well. "Christ resurrecting Lazarus, from the book of Saint John. A miracle as inspiring as any fae magic."

"Then there is glamour to be had in the church."

"Oh, to be sure. And Banality as well. It's one thing I quickly learned, being human. Anything can bring dreams, if properly cultivated. And anything can be allowed to quash them."

"But the mortal shell protects you."

"From the damage of it, yes. But the effects will always chase us. I must cultivate glamour to remember my true nature."

"Tell me how it is."

Bries regarded him for a long moment. "It's as much as we could have reasonably hoped for," he started slowly. "The mortal shell protects us, allows us to move among humans without detection. At first I was as human as they, completely unaware of our world. From my and the other's experiences it seems that our memories begin to return when there is enough glamour to trigger them, or when they are badly needed. We awake to who we truly are, we become as you see me now. When this mortal life is over, we find a new shell quite naturally. We survive." He let out a long breath as he looked down at Daniel, eyebrows knit in worry. "You may not want to hear this, but... I hope you will begin to consider the possibility. You're very fragile right now. You may not have another choice."

Daniel felt a wave of grief and shook his head. "I have to find someone. I have a promise to keep. As soon as I can ride I must leave."

"That may take more time than you anticipate. I wouldn't risk taking you from this place even if we could easily get you to Faerie. Accept the Changing. You can keep your promises when you remember them again."

"I can't chance not remembering. I'll be well soon enough." But even as he said those words, he could feel that fatigue and weakness start to take hold again.

Bries stroked his fingers over Daniel's hair. "You can't see yourself," he murmured, and sighed. "Rest."

Daniel murmured an agreement, but as his heavy eyelids flyers closed his gaze rested briefly in the painting, and he could help but wonder how close of a likeness it actually was.

~~~

 

When the next day dawned with no sign of Ben, it was hard for Daniel not to fear the worst. Lahr was beside him every time he woke, trying to reassure him. "Don't give up. He'll come. I know he'll come."

"How can you be so sure? If something's happened...."

"My heart would break." His friend offered him a small trembling smile. "He'll come. I promise, my lord."

He wanted to believe Lahr more than anything, but it was so hard to pull himself away from the fear. So hard not to dwell on the fact that all of this was his fault. He'd been so stupidly confident that everything would be fine, that he'd be able to rush back and save everything, handle everything, and now.....

"Think about what I said," Bries urged him as he spooned more broth into his mouth, his gaze desperate. "Please. Before it's too late."

"I'll recover," Daniel whispered, despite the growing realization that he was lying. The exhaustion he felt was becoming harder and harder to battle. They'd moved him to lay near the fire, but no matter how many blankets they piled on he was still cold, still so cold. When he looked at his hands, they were little more than skin and bone. Not being strong enough to leave this place was quickly becoming more and more of a reality. But perhaps if he could just see Ben again, he could ask his beloved protector one last favor, beg him to keep the promise that he'd failed....

If Ben still lived.

He looked up to Lahr. "The stone. Eion's heart. Does it still glow?"

Lahr nodded. "Yes. But...."

It was enough. Daniel closed his eyes and gave in to the exhaustion again.

~~~

"Daniel. Love....."

At first he thought it must be a dream, the voice he hadn't heard for so long. The voice he'd accepted that he'd never hear again.

He felt a gentle touch on his cheek. Then he felt strong arms lifting him, supporting his head and upper body, cradling him in the most familiar warmth and scent. Ben. He felt relief rush over him, leaving him far warmer than the fire could, and opened his eyes.

Eion indeed sat over him, green eyes bright with tears. He gave a trembling smile as he looked down at him. "Daniel...."

 _Eion._ Daniel managed to reach for his hand, feeling another wave of warmth at the reassurance of his touch. "You're here."

Eion nodded. "You look really terrible," he said bluntly, the words a choked, sobbed laugh, and a helpless laugh bubbled from Daniel's lips in response.

"So do you," he whispered, and felt his eyes burn with tears. If he looked terrible he was certain Eion couldn't look much better. His pretty green eyes were deep set and ringed with shadowy bruises, cheekbones sharp under his skin. He drew breath in a choked sob. "I'm so sorry I didn't come...."

"Shh...." Eion lifted his hand to his lips, kissing his fingers. "No no no.... you did everything I asked, love. I was stupid to ask. I've been such a stupid little kitten. I was stupid not to wait for you but I didn't know when you'd come back and I thought if I came here with Duke Collan that I could find your house and make sure everything stayed safe, all your stories and your books....."

The thought of it made Daniel's heart ache with adoration. He drew a trembling breath. "You came here to try and save my books....?"

Eion shook his head. "No try. They're safe. I had to make a bargain with a troll and some nockers and this Lady of House Eiluned which was actually pretty easy because they really love their secrets, and - "

The joy he felt at the news felt blindingly bright, and Daniel arched forward. throwing his arms around Eion's neck even as he dissolved into tears. Eion held him tightly, pressing a trembling kiss to his hair. "Hey, don't cry. I know Eiluned said they planned to keep them but I made them promise to make you copies of everything no matter how many scribes it took, which is good because I don't have a lot of tail left to trade. But it's going to make such a great story. You have to help me tell it once you're well....."

Once you're well.

Daniel let go of him, letting Eion ease him back against Ben's chest. He arched his head to look up at him, feeling a rush of adoration and relief. "You came. You found him for me."

"Promised I'd protect you," Ben whispered, the words rough and helpless. "I've failed."

Daniel shook his head, reaching up to touch his face, tears winding down his cheeks. "No. No. Ben, you've saved me. Seeing Eion, keeping my promise... seeing _you_ again..." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, taking stock. Yes. He smiled. "It's given me the strength to work the spell."

He expected Ben would be upset, but relief was plain on his protector's face. He blinked hard, and Daniel felt the splash of a tear on his neck. "Thank goodness. Lord Bricius was afraid we might be too late. I'll go with you."

"We won't have our memories. Not at first."

Ben shook his head. "Doesn't matter. I'll still be with you. I'll still protect you."

Daniel turned his eyes to Eion, offering him a soft smile. "... will you wait a little longer for me to come back to you, my love? I might not be so beautiful, but...."

"Impossible," Eion murmured, squeezing his hand. "You will always be beautiful, and I will always know you. You have my heart."

Daniel swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. "My heart will bring me back to you."

Eion nodded, blinking back tears. "Only... I think I might need to go with you. I don't have much heart left, and I think it may break when you....."

Daniel choked back a soft sob. "You saved me, too. Thank you."

"My lord, if you will allow me...." Lahr's entreaty was soft from where he sat at Ben's side. "I beg your forgiveness for my failure. Please let me make up for it. I'll stay behind until I've found all of you - "

"No. Swear me no oath. I refuse it. Or if you must, swear to keep yourself safe at all costs. You haven't failed me, I promise you that."

Lahr shook his head, pressing closer to Ben. "I've failed both of you. I should have taken better care of you....."

"Find Ben," Daniel told him softly. "In this life or the next. Don't lose your love for him. Come back to him. That's the only promise I ask of you."

Lahr gave a soft sob and nodded. "That is a promise I freely and easily make, my lord."

Their adoration was bright and beautiful, and for the first time since they'd arrived the raw, aching pain in his bones was soothed to a blessed numbness. He reached for Ben's face again. "Kiss me," he murmured, and felt himself lifted, felt Ben's lips press to his forehead, his eyes, then his lips. They tasted of salt, his cheeks wet, and Daniel drew a soft, choked breath, touching his face. "Don't cry. I'll see you soon. My oldest friend. My love...."

"I love you," Ben murmured, and kissed him again, trembling.

"I love you always," Daniel murmured, and felt strength in the beauty of it. When he relaxed against Ben's chest again he found Eion weeping, openly and silent. He drew him down into soft, sweet kisses, stroking one hand up into his hair and over the softness of his ear. "I'll love you for always, my darling...."

"My heart will always be yours," he breathed again, kissing him harder, his kisses trembling. "Daniel...."

"Do one more thing for me?"

"Anything."

"Have you finished my song?" He received a tearful nod in response, and smiled. "I'd like to hear it. I need the glamour of it. Will you sing me to sleep, my love?"

Eion nodded, letting out a long breath. He leaned in to let his forehead rest against Daniel's, clearing his throat. Then, softly, he started to sing.

_"I sent my heart away across the hills...my jewel, golden haired and fair of skin. His eyes like stars, his lips so berry sweet, His voice the sweetest summer wisp of wind....."_

Daniel closed his eyes and let the words wind around him, soft and beautiful and strong. He let the song become his focus, drawing out the spell of Changing from the depths of his heart, weaving it between the notes as Eion sang. _"I left last morn in misty meadow cold...My gold-haired man of sweetest kiss. His eyes like stars, his cheek a petaled rose, And left behind, my dreams all go amiss...."_

It was perfect, he thought, focusing every last bit of his glamour, and quietly wished there were some way to remember the moment. Being safe and warm and surrounded by their love. Hearing Eion's sweet voice. It was the kind of love he never could have hoped for.

He'd find it again.

_"O let my feet atone for my mistake... Let my eyes weep for want of him no more. Bring my soul back into his arms again...My golden ray of sun on distant shores."_

Daniel sighed, and let himself drift away into the magic, and in the moment before everything disappeared, felt like he was finally home.

~~~


	5. Chapter 5

By the time Dana's birthday arrived, the world outside was nearly knee-deep in snow, but he didn't mind. The first few months of winter were almost restful, compared the flurry of harvest. Time to hunt in the bright cold sunlight, to gather firewood, to tell stories at night around the fire in his father's great lodge.

"Want to go for a ride?" Johan caught his arm as they finished unloading the day's felled trees from the sledge, green eyes bright in the sunlight. Dana couldn't help but find the boy as striking looking as he was strange; he'd arrived on horseback nearly a year before with a string of six fat rabbits, wanting to apprentice to his father's leather-worker. At any other time of year he might have come under suspicion - perhaps an escaped slave with a stolen horse - but six fat rabbits during the hungry month had been enough for his father. They'd received no word of stolen horses afterwards, and Johan had certainly earned his keep through apparently excellent hunting skills, though strangely he refused company when he went out.

"You going to teach me your hunting tricks?" Dana teased. His skill with the bow was unparalleled in the village, and still Johan managed to excel.

Johan laughed. "Maybe someday. If you're very good. I'll be back in a few minutes, alright?"

"I'll be waiting."

"Good." Hopping back in the sledge, Johan drove off.

Dana brushed the snow off his furs, then went into the lodge to wait thaw out while he waited, sitting down at one of the benches. Several pots of stew were already bubbling over the fires in the center of the lodge, ready for dinner in a few hours. They'd be back before then.

"You shouldn't be going out alone into the woods with that hooligan." His cousin, Benedikt, joined him, and though his words were light-hearted Dana could tell they were only half-teasing.

"I promise I'll be careful, beast-killer." Dana pressed a kiss to his cheek. Ben had saved him from a particularly nasty wild boar on a hunting trip when they were twelve, and afterward seemed to have taken it upon himself to make sure Dana was never in any kind of danger again. It might have been annoying if he hadn't been so earnestly sweet about it. And Dana had to admit that having Ben on his side was always a benefit. Even being months younger than Dana, he was already bigger than most of the men in the village.

"You better." Ben smiled at the kiss, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He turned as they heard the sledge approach, then walked Dana to the door. He gave Johan a pointed stare. "Be safe with my cousin."

"I promise. And I'll have him back in time for dinner."

"You'd better. If not...."

"Catgut." Johan smiled brilliantly. "I know."

"What does that even mean?" Dana asked as he reached the sledge.

"Ah, just an old threat. Come on, get in." Johan had filled the empty bed of the sledge with a massive pile of blankets and furs. He pulled back the layers to reveal a thick layer of straw with a blanket on top. "Get in, snuggle down. Keep warm."

"Don't have to say that twice." Dana kicked the snow off his boots then slipped in, letting Johan tuck the furs around him. Then, instead of climbing into the bench, Johan grabbed the reins and sat cross-legged at the head of the sleigh bed. He clicked to the horses, who started off into a brisk trot.

He was definitely pretty, Dana couldn't help but think, with his cheeks flushed pink in the cold and his curly hair dark against the bright winter sky. He'd always found boys more appealing than girls, but it was harder not to think about it now that he was grown. Especially not when rides out on a sledge were one of the few ways that people could truly be alone in their small, tight-knit village. Was that what Johan intended, or was it really just a ride for his birthday?

"Where are we going?" he asked, and Johan glanced down at him with a smile.

"Hmm. Perhaps we should go see the green man that lives in the woods."

Dana laughed. "Where on earth did you get the idea that the green man lives in OUR woods?"

"Because he does."

"And no-one's seen him but you."

"He's very choosy."

"Mmm. Perhaps he's friends with the wolf-cat?" That, at least he'd seen, though only once, just before dusk. The large black animal had been even bigger than he'd expected, and had disappeared like a shadow. Dana might have thought that he'd imagined it if he hadn't found its pawprints in the mud. The existence of such a strange creature would be concerning if it was a threat to the livestock, but so often it had lead the men to good hunting that they all considered it a good omen now. A guardian spirit for the village.

"Perhaps," Johan replied, his smile widening. Then he glanced down at Dana. "Perhaps I just want to spend time with you."

His reply made Dana's heart stick in his throat, pounding so hard that he was certain the other boy must hear him. He sat up to lean closer to him, feeling a rush of pleasure when Johan took the reins in one hand and wrapped the other around his shoulders.

The drive was longer than Dana had expected, but pleasant, in Johan's company. They finally stopped in a small clearing near where the forest met the hills, and after Johan hopped out to tie up the horses he came back, snuggling down in with him under the mountain of furs so that only their noses emerged. He smiled as he leaned in close. "You know... it's my birthday today, too."

"Is it?" God, his smile was adorable. Dana turned towards him more. "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you. Maybe it means I was fated to meet you...." he reached up to brush a lock of Dana's blond hair back from his face, and though his fingers were cold the touch made him feel so warm.

"Just to meet me?" he said softly, and Johan's smile widened. Then he leaned in, nose cold against Dana's but lips so warm as they found his. The slow, lingering caress woke a kind of pleasure in him far different than just kissing someone on the cheek. He gave a soft moan and arched closer, instinctively mirroring the caress of Johan's lips, letting the other boy lick into his mouth, sweet and warm and achingly good.

Johan pressed him back into the sweet-smelling straw as they kissed, laying over him and pulling the furs up over them completely until all that existed was the two of them in a lovely dark pocket of warmth. He drew back to look down at him, completely adoring. "Beautiful _Dan-a-el,_ " he murmured, playing his name into something that sounded like a sweet endearment.

Dana smiled, reaching up to stroke his fingers along his cheekbones. "I like how that sounds."

"Do you like this?" Johan turned his head to nuzzle his palm, kissing his fingers. "Do you want this?"

It would be some time before Dana needed to think about a wife, especially with two older brothers still unmarried. He quietly hoped he might convince his father to instead let him go out with the trading caravans, with Ben, taking crops into the cities to trade. Maybe even further. The thought of Johan perhaps being with them too made him ache with happiness. The thought of doing this made him even happier. Even if he were to marry, no one need talk about the things that two men might do together in a quiet moment.

"I want this very much," he murmured, and leaned up to kiss Johan again.

Warm in the furs, he didn't resist when Johan's fingers went to the lacings on his clothes, and slowly, between increasingly heated kisses, they drew them open and wiggled them aside until nothing existed but the pleasure of Johan's heated flesh against his own, as warm and aroused as Dana was. He covered Dana's jaw and throat with breathless kisses as they rocked together slowly, each push of his hips sending a rush of pleasure through him as his cock slid against Dana's.

"My sunshine," he murmured, and worked a hand between them, curling his fingers around the hard length of Dana's cock. The slow slide of his hand - up and down the length of his shaft with his thumb running over his head on each stroke - was somehow far better than any rare quiet moment where Dana had sought his own pleasure. He couldn't help but gasp, arching up into Johan's touch. It was far too pleasurable not to return, and Dana let himself cup and stroke Johan's cock in turn, reveling in the way his hard organ felt against his palm, in the way Johan whimpered and shivered against him as Dana worked him slowly.

It was all far, far too good, and too soon his passion crested, pleasure shuddering through him as Johan's fingers urged more. His friend gave a little gasping cry as he did, hips stuttering, pushing into Dana's grasp, and Dana felt him pulse in his grip, coming warm and satisfyingly slick on his stomach.

Somehow Johan was even more beautiful lost to pleasure, then languid and sated in the aftermath of it. He traded soft, adoring kisses, smiling against his mouth, nuzzling his jaw. "My _Dan-a-el,_ " he murmured against his skin, soft and reverent. "How I adore you...."

The thought made Dana's heart ache with happiness. "Do you really?"

"Of course." Johan smiled as he looked down on him, green eyes content. "Why else do you think I stayed in the village?"

"Just for me?" It was a lovely thought, warm and rich in the aftermath of pleasure with his fingers still loosely curled around Johan's softening cock.

Johan gave a soft hum in agreement and dipped his head to kiss him again. "Beautiful golden _Dan-a-el...._ "

Dana gave a soft moan against his mouth. "What does that mean? It sounds so nice...."

"That I adore you," Johan replied, stealing another slow kiss. "That you are the love of my life. That I'll never leave you again...."

"You've never left me to begin with."

"Mmm. Oh...." he pulled back a little, a tendril of cold sneaking in, and Dana shivered as Johan seemed to search his clothes. He gave a little triumphant noise. "This is for you."

"For me?" Dana looked at the object that hung from the leather thong in his fingers - a smooth black stone set in silver, polished to a brilliant shine. It felt overwhelming, that Johan would offer such a rich gift. How could he have gotten such a thing? "It's too much, Johan, I can't...."

"Nothing is too much for you, my heart...." Johan murmured, kissing him again, and Dana couldn't help but relax to the pleasure of his lips. Johan threaded one end of the thong carefully behind his neck, knotting the stone in place, letting it rest warm and heavy in the hollow of his throat.

Dana sighed against his lips, stroking his fingers through his hair. "Thank you... but I have nothing to give you...."

"Just let me worship you," Johan murmured, and flicked his tongue against Dana's lips, moaning into his mouth softly as he kissed him deeper. "I've wanted to for so long...."

"Me too," Dana murmured truthfully, and was rewarded with a brilliant, adoring smile, a longer kiss, and his heart fluttered with happiness.

"Let's not go back yet," he murmured, shifting to stroke the outside of Johan's leg with his thigh.

Johan gave a soft moan in agreement, and dropped his mouth to Dana's neck, kissing and sucking his skin, teasing it ever so gently with his teeth. The pleasure of it was so good that he'd aroused Dana again in seemingly no time, stroking his hips and thighs as he lavished attention on his neck, then chest, sucking his nipples into small points of aching pleasure.

What he didn't expect was for Johan to slide down further, that talented mouth closing around his hardening cock, sucking gently, hot and wet and perfect. It pulled an embarrassingly loud moan from his throat, and Johan groaned around him in return, the sound thrumming through his cock as his lips caressed the length of his shaft, working his tongue against him in a way that make Dana's toes curl. Johan's hands continued to tease and stroke his thighs as he did, and cupping and massaging his sack. Then they stroked back further, and somehow that was even better, the gentle rub of his fingers against the soft skin behind his sack, and gently stroking against his hole. Dana's hips jerked under the unexpected pleasure. "Oh - !"

Johan groaned, lips popping from the head of his cock. "I'd like to show you so much pleasure," he murmured as he nuzzled his shaft. "More pleasure than you can ever remember... will you trust me?"

How could he not, if this was just a sample? Dana nodded breathlessly. "Yes."

"Mmm, my love...." Johan suckled at the head of his cock as his fingers rubbed a little more firmly at his ass, and though it was strange that quickly became easy to forget when it was also so very, very good.

His fingers drew away briefly to wipe through the slick on Dana's stomach, then returned, and that felt even better, stroking slick and wet against sensitive nerve endings. By the time one of them breached him Dana felt like he'd been waiting for ages, and he couldn't help but moan and press into the stimulation, pleasure crawling up his spine at the slow pump of Johan's finger inside him.

"So perfect," Johan murmured, nuzzling his cock. "So beautiful, _Daniel...._ "

By the time he worked a second finger up into him Dana was squirming under him, feeling almost teased by the sensations, as if, as good as it was, his body craved more, craved escalation. He moaned breathlessly as Johan's fingers moved and spread inside him, stretching him open with teasing, aching pleasure. Then they pressed deeper, rubbing gently against something inside him that left him seeing stars. He cried out, trying to press down against his fingers, craving that pleasure again. "Gods, please more...!"

Johan gave a low, helpless groan, fucking him slowly with his fingers, teasing up inside him as he did. Then he moved back over him, leaning down to kiss him breathlessly as he continued to finger him. His cock pressed hard against Dana's hip, and he whimpered softly as he ground his hips against him. "Will you let me have you, my love?"

He'd heard that this could be done, though it seemed a little daunting. Still, Johan had been so gentle, worked such pleasure from him... Surely he couldn't be like that. "Please," he murmured, and expected Johan to turn him as he eased his fingers from his body, Instead he caught Dana's mouth again, breathless and yearning, urging Dana's thighs up against his sides.

"My love," he murmured, low and intent, and Dana felt the head of his cock press against him, hard but somehow deliciously slick. 

It was an aggravating tease when he felt so empty from the loss of his fingers, when his body craved so much more of that pleasure. He pulled his thighs higher, trying to arch up against him,, encourage him. "Please, Johan, please...."

"Gods, _Daniel...._ " Johan drew a shuddering breath, seeming almost overwhelmed as he pressed harder against him, slow, insistent rocks of his hips finally stretching him open. Dana let his head fall back, drawing deep gasps at the rush of pleasure, at how inexplainably _good_ it felt to be filled by the thick girth of his cock. The slide of Johan's cock inside him as he pushed deeper was far better than anything he could imagine, sending warm waves of pleasure through him with each thrust.

Johan caught his mouth again, burying himself to the hilt with a little helpless moan. He repeated the motion, then rolled his hips up into him just perfectly, cock rubbing over that spot that made him see stars, left him crying out with pleasure, gasping. "Gods yes, more - !"

"As much more as you want," Johan gasped, repeating the motion, then again, a little harder, a little more urgently. "So good, being inside you again, so perfect, love, gods....!"

The pleasure was too intense for him to wonder at Johan's words when all he could do was hold on, each thust more overwhelming than the last. He pressed his heels into Johan's back, urging more, crying out as his hips drove into him again and again. The hard, shivering shocks of pleasure Johan drove through him grew and built, and almost too soon his body tumbled helplessly over the crest, clenching around his cock as overwhelming waves of pleasure cascaded through him again and again. Johan gave a desperate cry as he did, bucking into him in a final rush of intensity, and Dana felt him spill inside him, hot and slick and perfect.

When he'd finally caught his breath he found Johan's mouth with his own, kissing him again and again, feeling like his entire body was singing with pleasure and well being. "Oh, love. So good, so perfect. How did I not realize...."

Johan gave a happy moan against his mouth, indulging in slow, sweet kisses. "So you'll come out with me again?" he murmured, and Dana laughed breathlessly.

"Yes, oh yes. I don't even want to leave. I want to stay here all night and have love with you over and over...."

"Don't tempt me, or I'll steal you away forever," Johan murmured, smiling, stealing a longer kiss. His voice softened. "We can trade, too. If you want. I'd like to feel you inside me...."

At the suggestion, Dana could suddenly see it, as vividly as if they'd already done it - Johan's beautiful, lean form stretched out under him as he drove his cock into the blissful, tight slickness of his body. He felt his cock jerk in response, and Johan gave a soft whimper, hips shifting against him.

"You like the sound of that, don't you?" Johan's voice was a breathless purr, and he shifted to press his half hard cock against his own, a lovely shiver of sensation despite being spent. His next kiss was longer, tantalizing, the words that followed even more so. "You're imagining how good it would feel to push that lovely thick cock up inside me.... how tight I'd feel around you...."

"I am," Dana found himself gasping, cock hardening more. "Or watching you over me, rocking down onto me, desperate and needy like you can't get enough....."

"Gods...." Johan's voice was a whimper, his kisses more demanding, hips grinding up against him a little more urgently. "I want to," he gasped, shuddering against him, the writhe of his hips making Dana very hard indeed. "Can we do that now? Please, I need you, need you to fill me...."

"Show me," Dana murmured. Johan shifted eagerly above him, straddling his waist, pressing his ass back against Dana's cock and grinding his length between his cheeks with a breathless moan. Then he arched up enough to press a hand between them, his fingers strangely slick as the stroked over the length of his shaft, then holding him in place as he pushed down onto him.

At first Dana couldn't believe the incredible tightness of his body, couldn't believe that this couldn't hurt. He tried to hold still, whimpering as Johan gave a forceful little buck down onto him. "Are you - "

"So good," Johan gasped, eyes clenched tight. He bit down hard on his bottom lip, whimpering as he ground down onto him, and Dana could feel his body clench and flutter around his cock, so exquisite that he was certain he'd already be coming if they hadn't recently sated his passions. As it was, his hips gave a helpless little buck up into him, then another in response to Johan's cry.

"That's it," his lover gasped, rolling his hips on him as he pushed down against him again. "Ohh...! Oh yes, please.... however you like, love, just give it to me...."

"I'm not hurting you?"

"No. No. Gods...!" he gave a little whine as he rolled his hips down onto him harder, and Dana braced his feet to rock with him, meeting the rock up his hips with a buck of his own, falling into rhythm with him.

As good as he felt, it was Johan's reactions that made his body sing, the gasping, breathless cries he gave each time their bodies came together. Johan pushed down harder onto him, so Dana complied, meeting the rock of his hips until Johan's ass was smacking against him with each thrust, his pretty lover nearly wailing out his words.

"Yes, gods, yes - take me, oh please fuck me hard, claim me again, gods, come inside me, love, please, Daniel - !"

It was hard to resist when Johan begged like that, so desperate and pretty. Dana grabbed his ass to hold him as he thrust up hard and deep, hips stuttering as he rode the edge of pleasure. The control seemed to make Johan almost ecstatic, shuddering around him, finally jerking back onto his cock with a helpless, trembling cry. He clenched down even more tightly around him as he did, shuddering with climax, and that exquisite stimulation was all Dana could take, passion cresting as he spilled deep inside him.

"My love," Johan gasped, and kissed him, trembling, giving a soft sob against his mouth. "Missed you so much, so much, never want to be apart again...."

His words were strange, and yet somehow not so, part of Dana feeling somehow like he'd been waiting for this far longer than just since the moment he met Johan. He held him tight, returning his kisses, drinking in the desperate adorations Johan gasped against his mouth.

"My love, my beautiful, radiant lord, my sunshine, My _Daniel,_...."

 _"Eion,"_ he whispered, the name appearing in his mind from no-where. Then other things followed, spilling free in a rush - Johan's kisses, loving him again and again, tangled in silk sheets. Laughing and teasing as they made love, as Johan teased and caressed his body until he was begging and desperate. Clinging to him, heart aching with the knowledge that they were to be parted. Making love again to try and push that pain from his heart. The pleasure of driving deep into Johan's body and feeling the same pleasure himself, being stretched open and teased and used by his maddeningly sinuous tail - 

_Tail?_

He pulled back in a sudden shock of surprise, and in the mess of Johan's curls a pair of large cat ears twitched forward in surprise. "You're the wolf-cat."

Johan's smile was somehow even more brilliant than before, and he pressed a hard, trembling kiss to his mouth. "There you are, my love.... all of you.... I told you I'd find you, told you my heart would always know you....!"

Why were they parted? His memories were fuzzy. But Johan had always been important. Dana gave a soft sob at the remembering. "How could I forget?"

"Not your fault," Johan murmured, pressing soft kisses to his eyelids, and the feeling of complete and adoration that Dana could suddenly feel from him took his breath away.

"I'm so in love with you," he whispered, heart aching with it, and Johan have a soft, trembling moan.

"I've waited so long to hear you say that again," he whispered, holding him tight, kissing him again. Dana felt like he could happily spend forever just doing that, but finally Johan pulled back, looking down at him with a smile. "Ben's going to be so happy you're back with us."

Ben? He thought of his dear cousin and felt the truth of it tease at his memory. Ben.... a fearless warrior, strong and protective and adoring, always with him. How deeply he'd had loved him, too. He smiled, nodding slowly. "Me too."

"Good." Then, before Dana could respond, he slid down to lick a warm stripe over his stomach, then another, giving a soft, appreciative moan. "What a naughty kitten I am, making you so messy...."

Dana shivered. "I certainly didn't mind - oh!" A teasing lick to his cock made him gasp - was Johan's tongue rougher than before? "Careful, or you'll make me messy again...."

Johan's chuckle was decidedly devious. "Later. Not now. Now I have to take you to meet him."

"Him?"

"I told you. The Green Man. Except he's not really that green, it's more a reddish brown...."

Dana bit back the obvious argument that he couldn't be The Green Man if he wasn't green. Johan had cat ears. And the strange new memories that were trickling back to him told him that the world was obviously very different than he'd thought it was yesterday.

When they'd dressed, Johan hefted a large bundle of firewood up onto his shoulder that had been in the bottom of the sledge, and took him down a small tail through the underbrush that he'd obviously walked many times. The ground stepped into to rocky hills, and looked completely deserted. Then, as they rounded a pile of rocks, he saw ahead of them the mouth of a small, natural cave, almost completely blocked off by stacks of sod. "It's not safe for him to leave the cave anymore, so I bring stuff into him," he told him as they walked. "But we can see him whenever we want."

Johan moved away a snow-covered bundle of branches, squeezing into the gap behind them, then turning to give him a smile. "Come on. I promise it's safe."

A few steps in and the ceiling if the cave rose, appearing to be far higher than Daniel thought the hill outside had been. The word "Glen" surfaced in his mind. The air in the cave was comfortably warm on his face, and smelled fresh and sweet. A small stream wound its way through the back of the cave, the water glowing faintly in the darkness, and at the front of the cave were stacks of supplies and a large pile of furs beside a small fire.

Then the pile of furs shifted, slowly rising up into the shaggy form of a man. No, Dana realized. Not a man. From his long, grey-flecked auburn mane rose great, curling horns like a ram, and underneath the pile of furs... were those hooves?

A trade caravan had visited from the coast once, who called themselves Christians and told stories of a god who fought a devil with cloven hooves. But nothing seemed dangerous about this man, who broke into a warm, wide smile as he saw Dana, the lines around his mouth and eyes speaking of kindness and laughter.

Soft flecks of light seemed to shed from him as he slowly moved around the fire, like a tree shedding it's leaves in the fall. He dropped to his knees in front of Dana, reaching out a hand that was missing two fingers to take his. Eyes bright with tears, he pressed a reverent kiss to his fingers. "My Lord."

"This is Lahr," Johan told him, setting down the stack of firewood with the rest and returning to them. "How are you feeling today?"

"Well, thank you. Your passion was beautiful... Both of you."

Something teased at the edges of Dana's memory, and he held to the man's hand as he tried to chase it.

"Lahr led me to you," Johan said, soft and affectionate, running his fingers over the man's hair. As he did, Dana remembered these same blue eyes, bright with tears of sorrow, and the whisper of a promise.

_I'll find all of you...._

"Lahr," he whispered, and bent to press a kiss to his mouth, heart aching at the remembrance. "Well met again, my dear friend. And a thousand thank yous."

"Seeing you again is enough," Lahr murmured, his smile heartbreakingly sweet, and somehow Dana couldn't help but think that all was finally as it should be.


	6. Epilogue

_We will meet again my friend,  
 _A hundred years from today  
 _Far away from where we lived  
 _And where we used to play.  
 _We will know each others' eyes  
 _And wonder where we met  
 _Your laugh will sound familiar  
 _Your heart, I won't forget.________

_________We will meet, I'm sure of this,  
 _But let's not wait til then...  
 _Let's take a walk beneath the stars  
 _And share this world again._  
\- Ron Atchison___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Do you remember Lahr?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________For a long moment Ben could only gaze at the creature who stood before him, strange and wild, his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to make sense of it. He was certainly stranger than Johan, even with his huge cat ears and infuriating tail. Johan was still human, to human eyes. This man was only otherworldly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The man's ice blue eyes gazed at him, anxious and fearful, and Ben felt his heart twist. Why? I won't hurt you, he wanted to murmur. Do you remember Lahr, Daniel had asked, softly and with import. He was supposed to. That much was clear._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben took a step forward, cautious and slow, wishing he could somehow make himself smaller, less imposing. The man trembled visibly, like a wild creature, but didn't step away. He stayed almost completely frozen as Ben brought up a hand to gently touch the side of his face, gaze searching it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Remembering Daniel had been an instantaneous flash of remembrance, along with the realization that he had to protect him from the charging boar, no matter what the cost. His memories weren't so obedient this time. He could feel them trying to organize themselves, though, pushing at the mists that bound them. His eyes...._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben forced himself to look more, taking in the man's large, curving horns, his battered furs, the shaggy red fur that covered his legs. The cloven hooves, almost dainty. He was missing the top joints on the last two fingers of his left hand, Ben noticed, but the third was still adorned by a brilliantly shining silver ring...._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He felt his heart give a near-painful throb. The ring meant something. He reached for the man's hand with both of his, lifting his hand. Pressing a kiss to the back of it and breathing in his scent. He heard the man draw breath in a soft, shivering sob, and the noise made his heart feel like it was breaking._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"I remember this," he murmured, a flash of memory breaking through the mist. Lahr. Lahr, young and radiant with love, straddling his lap. Whispering the sweetest words of love. No... An oath. A promise. He stepped closer, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead, stroking his fingers up into his hair. So sweet, Lahr had been. Such a blessed support. How Ben had adored him. "My love," he whispered, and felt Lahr give another soundless sob._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Of course. Lahr had stayed behind when he'd undertaken the Spell of Changing. Kept his memories in order to reunite them. Ben have a soft moan in dismay. How long had they been parted?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Then another thought occurred. He'd heard Johan speak of the Green Man in the woods before. How long had Lahr been here? Ben drew back to look at him, heart aching. How much time could they have had together? ".... You didn't come see me."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr glanced away, lips tightening. He swallowed visibly. "....I didn't want you to remember me like this." The words from his lover's mouth were a bare whisper, and Ben felt his heart twist again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He drew back again, taking him in. The once proud satyr had obviously stretched himself thin, blue eyes bruised and shadowed, cheeks sunken, hair and fur ragged and streaked with grey. Soft motes of glamour drifted from his form like dust. He had a brief flash of memory of seeing Daniel like this. The banality of the world was taking its tool on Lahr as the world rejected the last of the true Fae. But he was still beautiful, even like this, tattered and tired. He looked like the wild was trying to reclaim him, like he could disappear amongst the beaches and leaves of the forest and live forever in them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________But there was another, much better option._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Come rest," he said softly, and Lahr didn't resist as Ben urged him back to the comfortable pile of furs beside the fire. He looked up at Daniel. "I need to stay here tonight. Will you cover for me? Come back for me in the morning?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Daniel nodded. Ben turned his attention to Eion. Johan. "Keep him safe."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Catgut," Johan confirmed with a grin, and gave a bow. They left._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben sunk to his knees in front of him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders, pressing a kiss to his forehead and breathing in deep. It felt completely different than embracing a human. He could feel the pulse of glamour thrumming through him with each breath. He could feel that glamour slowly ebbing away. "I love you," he whispered, and felt Lahr shudder at the words. "I missed you so much. I wish I'd known...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"I'm sorry," Lahr murmured. "I did come to you. As soon as I was able to track you I came. But you weren't awake yet, and you were so tiny...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"The warrior in the forest," Ben murmured, searching the hazy memories of a child. But he remembered his kindness, on his knees teaching Ben sword forms with sticks. He'd told Ben that he was meant to be a great warrior, made him feel special. Strong. He remembered his smile. He remembered how he'd sobbed for days when the man had gone away. "You stayed all summer."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________A small nod. "This glen was over-taxed, I couldn't stay longer. And I had to find Eion. It took longer than anticipated."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"It must have been very lonely."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr let out a long, trembling breath. "It was worth it."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben leaned back to look at him stroking his fingers along his jaw. "You don't have much left in you, do you? You must be so tired.... Why have you waited so long, love?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr closed his eyes, a tear escaping mated lashes. "I was afraid," he murmured, voice low and rough. "Forgive me. You were you, yet not you. I didn't know how to wake you. I didn't know if you'd ever remember me. When I found Eion he was already awake, but he barely remembered anything. He barely remembered me. I had to convince him to come with me, to come and see Daniel without even knowing if he'd ever remember...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"You were afraid you'd forget me."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr gave a small, sharp nod, more tears escaping his lashes. "How I feel about you... the thought of losing that was more than I could stand.... I wanted to hold on as long as I could, and then... then I became afraid that I might have waited too long. Until Eion woke Daniel today....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, then another, fingers wiping away tears, careful and gentle. "You'll remember."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"How can you be so certain."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Because. I...." He stopped and drew back, chewing his bottom lip. "I've always loved Daniel. More than my siblings, more than any of my cousins. I sought him out time and again. He welcomed it. And that summer... I loved you too, I snuck away to come find you every chance I could. I should have been frightened. But my heart remembered regardless of my memories. Your heart is bigger than anyone I've ever met, love. It will lead you true."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr drew a soft, shivering breath. "Do you mean that?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Of course I do. You're here, aren't you? Despite how difficult I know it must be for you. You still persevered. You brought us together again. You fulfilled your promise to Daniel years ago. But you still went and found Eion. You waited to truly reunite us. The strength of your heart did that for you."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr's breath caught, but he smiled through the tears. "Somehow you always know what I need to hear. Just wish I didn't have to leave you...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He didn't resist when Ben pressed a soft kiss to his lips, then another, stroking fingers through his hair again and again. "We'll find you," he murmured. "Like you found us. Our time apart will pass in the blink of an eye for you."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He felt Lahr relax more against him, lips parting to a longer kiss, his breath a relieved sigh. "And you...?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben felt a rush of longing at the thought, though his mind was already starting to plan. Daniel had already wanted to travel, even before he awoke. They could take the next few years to prepare, to use Daniel's skill with the bow and Eion's skill at hunting in general to build up resources. There were small magics he could work, now that he knew of the glen's existence, to find and extract silver and precious stones from the hills. In five or six summers they would be well equipped to leave, to travel. To find Lahr. "I'll have my memories to carry me through."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"My silver-hearted love," Lahr murmured softly, fingers caressing his jaw, not resisting as Ben pressed him back into the soft pile of furs. Ben pressed a kiss to his throat, breathing deeply, then another, licking and nuzzling over the throb of his pulse. It felt natural, organic, his body instinctively knowing how to make Lahr sigh. "You don't have to do this," he murmured, stroking fingers through Ben's hair. "I'm not a pretty young thing anymore...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"I can't think of a world in which I wouldn't want to be with you," Ben replied, sucking on the edge of his ear as his fingers sought the lacings of his furs. "Can't you feel how much I want you?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"With all the passion and virility of a mortal just discovering love," Lahr replied, a smile playing about his lips as Ben drew back to look down at him. "I admit... it's quite rejuvenating."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Somehow the thought of that made Ben want him even more. He gave a low, yearning hum as he leaned in to kiss him again, losing himself in the delicious sweetness of his mouth, pressing a thigh between his and sighing as Lahr arched up against him with a moan. "Then it will be my solemn duty to provide you with as much rejuvenation as I can," he murmured, pushing the last of his clothes aside to stroke a hand over his bare chest._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"I hope it won't be too solemn." Lahr smiled against his lips, and Ben couldn't help but chuckle and kiss him again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________It was easy to lose himself to the increasing familiarity of the passion he felt for the precious man in his arms. It was harder to remind himself to respond with care, to keep a careful gentleness with his fading love when he'd never needed to before. But it was still beautiful, being able to fill his hands with the warmth of his lover's body, rocking together as arousal built, his erection sliding against the exquisite warmth of his skin and the feathery-softness of his fur._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"I'll just be a little slip of a thing when you see me again," Lahr murmured, stroking his hands down his back, tilting his head as Ben lavished attention on his throat. "And you'll be this big, strong, handsome thing... I'm sure I'll just swoon straight into your arms....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben chuckled softly, nipping lightly at his collarbone. "Are you saying I'm not big enough for you now?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Mmm...." Lahr's hum sounded far too thoughtful. He smiled when Ben pulled back to look down at him, eyes narrowing in contemplation, pushing a hand between them to curl around his cock._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben drew a soft hiss as his fingers slowly teased up and down the length of his shaft, stroking through the slick of arousal on the head of his cock. Despite his memories, his body responded like a youth that had never felt the touch of another, cock jerking in arousal, more arousal seeping from the head. Lahr gave a low moan, urging him onto his side. "Let me make sure," he murmured, then slide down the length of his body to draw his tongue up the length of his shaft._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Gods...." Ben bit down hard on his bottom lip at the surge of pleasure, whimpering as Lahr's clever mouth took him in, suckling him gently as his tongue teased the sensitive underside of his cock. Lahr groaned around him as his lips slid down his shaft, swallowing him to the hilt with ease. The hot, slick heat of his mouth was exquisite, and Ben gave a breathless cry, fingers clenching in his hair. "Lahr, I can't....!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr pulled back with a helpless, muffled groan, looking up at him as his lips left his cock. "Don't hold back, lover. Your glamour is so sweet. I need it so badly....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He took him in his mouth again, and it was all that Ben could do to keep from pushing further into his throat. Lahr didn't hold back, though, taking him to the hilt and holding him in swallowing around him, throat tightening around the head of his cock. It pulled a helpless yelp from Ben's throat, and when he repeated the motion his body responded eagerly, passion cresting in waves of pleasure as he spent himself in his mouth._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr's moan sounded almost as pleased as he felt, sucking him gently, encouraging every last shiver of pleasure from him. Then he pulled back, licking his softening cock, pressing soft kisses to his stomach and thighs. "So good," he whispered. "Just what I needed, love, thank you....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben let himself drift on the ebbing waves of pleasure, catching his breath, fingers carding through Lahr's hair. "So good," he murmured, buzzed with pleasure. "Let me please you...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Soon," Lahr promised, nuzzling his hip. He drew his tongue along the crease of his thigh with a soft sigh, fingers rubbing over his hip bones. "How strange it is... the taste of you is mortal and yet not.... but that mortality... your glamour has never tasted so sweet, love....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________It was relieving to hear. "Good," he murmured, carding his fingers through his hair. "I'll give you as much as you want....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"So kind of you, my love...." Lahr cradled his sack against his palm, stroking gently, fingers pressing into the soft skin behind. He moved higher to kiss over his chest, tongue tracing the dark whirls of ink that marked him as a warrior. "Tell me you'll make love to me...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Can you handle it....?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr chuckled softly, leaning up to kiss him. "Still a Satyr," he murmured, smiling against his mouth. Then he reached out beside the furs, singing a soft cantrip under his breath, summoning a large clay pot. He nipped at Ben's bottom lip. "Will you prepare me, my love?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben felt a surge of affection as he pressed Lahr onto his back, reaching out to dip his fingers in the fragrant oil. Lahr's cock was pressed hard against his stomach, but he seemed in no hurry as Ben pressed his slick fingers into the cleft of his ass, stroking and teasing. He worked his fingers into him carefully, and Lahr sighed and and arched up into the penetration. "Oh yes, love, more.... it's been so long....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"You should have had more sex without me." Ben scissored his fingers inside him, feeling his own cock jerk in arousal at the soft cry it drew from Lahr's lips._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"I.... mmm, had a little. It wasn't... oh!" He gasped as Ben crooked his fingers, a shiver of pleasure running through him. "Wasn't the same. Nothing is like being with you, love.... "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben was achingly hard again by the time he worked a third finger into him, mortal body buzzing with energy and want. Lahr kissed him more frantically, gasping with each pump of his fingers. "So sexy," he growled, fingering him a little more firmly. "Gods, want you so bad....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Have me," Lahr gasped. "Take me. Anything you want. As much as you want...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"I'll make love to you all night," Ben murmured, pressing him onto his side, curling against his back. He mouthed warm kisses against the back of Lahr's neck as he wrapped his arms around him, rocking into the bliss of his body in slow thrusts, nerves singing with pleasure and happiness._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________It was a promise his body was all too willing to comply with. The experience of memory and his mortal body's youthful vigour left him well equipped to satisfy his lover, rolling his hips into him again and again, angling just right to make Lahr gasp and sob in pleasure. Feeling his lover finally clench and shudder around his cock as he drew his body to climax was the perfect stimulation, and he came deep in the bliss of his body, gasping his name against his skin, curling with him and trading kisses and soft words of adoration again and again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Not taking full advantage of the night seemed unthinkable._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He was half hard again by the time he pressed Lahr onto his back again, moving to straddle his hips. "You weren't kidding about all night, were you?" Lahr stroked his hands over Ben's hips, smiling as his eyes slowly moved down his body. "Even mortal... you're so beautiful...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben grinned, reaching out to dip his fingers in the pot of oil again. He reached between his thighs to stroke his fingers along the cleft of his ass. "Did it look like I was kidding?" he asked, drawing a soft hiss as he pressed the tip of a finger up into himself._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr's eyes narrowed, smile widening. "I don't know... what do you have planned now?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben wiggled the tip of his finger, pressing it deeper. Penetration was unfamiliar, a spidery stretch as he continued to press and massage. Brief flashes of memory told him that he'd done this before, the pleasure of it intense and overwhelming, and from the darkness in Lahr's gaze he was certain his lover had enjoyed it as much as him. The glamour that had been shedding from him when Ben had arrived seemed to have settled in his form. His lover looked almost radiant in the firelight, eyes bright with energy. "I think," Ben started, breath catching as he pushed his finger deeper, "That I'm going to sit here and make you watch me finger myself until you're hard enough that I can ride your cock....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr bit his mouth on a low moan, fingers clenching briefly at his hips. "You don't need to," he murmured, more seriously. "Love, I'm more than willing to let you use me in any way you like...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"This is the way I want." Ben curled over him, resting his weight on one arm beside his head as he kissed him. He worked another finger up into himself, drawing a sharp hiss at the feel of it. "I want... mmm, I want you to deflower me in every way...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Oh, hells...." Lahr's fingers clenched at his hips again and he caught his mouth in a harder kiss, stroking and rubbing his hips. Then he reached out to slick his fingers, working one up into him alongside Ben's, the discomfort of penetration quickly fading into pleasure._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________In no time his cock was hard and leaking, body aching for more stimulation, working his fingers up into himself, whimpering. "Lahr, please...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr's breath was just as laboured as his, and his fingers clenched in Ben's hair as he caught his mouth, kisses hard and desperate and hungry. "Make me dizzy with how much I want you," he gasped, nipping sharply at his bottom lip. "Do whatever you want with me, love."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben sat up, smoothing more of the oil up the length of his lover's cock. Then he wrapped a hand around the base of his cock, for a moment just grinding against him, teasing himself with the blunt head of his cock. Lahr's hands raked up and down his thighs, but didn't move to control him otherwise, and when Ben finally started to sink down onto him he moved to clench at the furs underneath him, trembling. "Oh hell, love....!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________For a moment Ben couldn't respond, overwhelmed by the stretch of his body around his cock, almost too much to take. Then he sunk down farther, the flared head of his cock pushing past the ring of muscle, and suddenly he felt perfectly, exquisitely filled. He rocked down with a soft groan, sheathing Lahr inside him completely, closing his eyes against the slide of his cock with a sigh of pleasure._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"My perfect, handsome love..." trembling hands stroked over his thighs. "Gods, you look so good like this...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben bit his lip on a soft moan, smiling as he shifted on him. "We didn't do this very often, did we?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Sometimes when you wanted it," Lahr murmured. His hands slipped to cup and knead at his ass._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Did you want to more?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"I just wanted to please you," Lahr murmured, but his hands pulled his ass cheeks apart, and he moaned as Ben pushed down harder. "But gods, you feel so good....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben leaned forward, bracing his hands beside Lahr's shoulders as he lifted up. "I - ohhh... should have done this more...." His cock jerked against his stomach as he sank down again, the rush of pleasure intoxicating. "So good.... "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Could watch you screw yourself on my cock for ages," Lahr breathed, arching a little under him, gasping as Ben bucked down harder. "That's it, love, show me how good it is....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Ben rocked down harder instinctively, gasping, toes curled under in pleasure. "Feel completely helpless," he whimpered, repeating the motion, grinding down again. "More, Lahr, please...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He felt Lahr shift under him, arching up to meet the next buck of his hips, a teasing thrust that just made Ben want more. Then his fingers tightened on his hips, adjusting his angle, and suddenly a bright flood of pleasure rushed through him, almost painful in its intensity._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________His hips stuttered down helplessly, craving that pleasure, crying out again as they connected just right. "More," he found himself gasping, eyes closed as he bucked down. "More, please, gods, Lahr, please...."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr gave a helpless groan under him, rocking up harder, hips smacking up against his hips again and again. Each thrust was more overwhelming than the last, and before Ben knew it he was wailing out his orgasm, pleasure shuddering through him and whiting out his world, more intense than anything he could remember._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He panted for breath, content to enjoy the ebbing shivers of pleasure, holding still, the feeling of fullness still exquisite despite being spent. He shifted slightly, feeling Lahr's cock shift slickly inside him, and felt a rush of satisfaction at the realization of his lover's completion._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lahr urged him down into his arms, pressing soft kisses to his face, fingers stroking through his hair, over his back. "My beautiful, perfect love. My darling, my Ben.... make my heart sing.... take care of me so good....."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The thought sent a rush of pleasure through him, and he kissed Lahr again, slow and lingering._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Will always do everything I can to take care of you," he murmured truthfully, and though he knew their time that night was limited, felt a complete and total sense of surety that they wouldn't be parted long at all._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________~~~~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Lárus huddled back against the wooden beams of the pen and tried to make himself as small as possible. The mud under him seeped cold through trews that were already soaked through, and his stomach hurt for want of food, but neither sensation were enough to eclipse the terror that clenched at his heart._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He couldn't close his eyes. Every time they closed to darkness he saw the raiders again, saw his father's bleeding, lifeless body, heard his mother's screams. She hadn't been there, when they'd pushed him into the belly of the boat with so many of the children he'd grown up with, with trembling, weeping women and a few bound, unconscious men. He'd wept too, silently, huddled against the hull, muffling his sobs with a hand to keep himself from being beaten by the raiders like the louder ones were._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He'd been lead into the stinking city with his hands bound, a rope around his neck tying him to the girl in front of him. She'd slipped in the mud, and he'd almost choked as their captors hauled her back to her feet, whipping her for the fall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________That they were to be slaves was unquestionable, but he'd managed to keep the thought from his mind, numb to the reality of everything until they'd been pushed into the pens. Then the fat man had come, greasy and stinking, with his groping hands. He'd stripped and groped his hands over several of them before he'd gotten to Lárus, pulling down his trews and pressing his fingers places that made him tremble and weep with fear. Then he'd left, handing a large rope of silver to their captor._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He stared at the mud and wept silently until the sound of voices drew his attention - loud and angry. He looked up to find a huge man arguing spiritedly with their captor, taller and broader than even raiders had been. But his white blond hair and a short beard were neatly kept, his leather armor shining and clean._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________There were two men with him, both dressed in very fine clothes, smaller and thinner, like most of the men Lárus had known growing up. The dark haired one looked distinctly miserable, hugging his folded arms against his chest, eyes darting around them. He caught Lárus looking and gave him a tight, worried smile._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The second man, also blond and exceedingly pretty with his smooth, beardless skin, stepped forward as the warrior gave their captor an angry shove. He held the warrior back with a soft word, then turned to their captor calmly, placing a hand on the man's chest. Then he spoke, soft, lilting words flowing from his lips. The man seemed to glow with power, blue eyes bright, blond hair swirling up away from his face, and for a brief moment Lárus thought the man's ears to be long and pointed and not human at all._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Then he blinked, and everything was normal again - except their captor, who stood straight ahead, stunned. The shining man took a silver bracelet from his wrist, pressing it into their captor's hand. Then he nodded to the warrior._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The big man broke the lock on their pen as easily as if he was breaking an egg. He pushed the gate wide, then approached Lárus slowly, finally sinking to his knees in front of him, slowly holding out a hand. He said something, soft and earnest, then repeated it again, more slowly. "Come with me. _Vennligst. Jeg vil ikke skade deg."__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________His words sounded familiar, but while Lárus tried hard to listen, only a few made sense. He considered his options. That the last man had meant him for a pleasure slave was, horribly, without a doubt to him. How could he know that this man was any different? But as the man repeated his words again his voice shook, and Lárus looked up in surprise to see tears in his blue eyes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The sight made his heart ache, and a thought crossed his mind with complete certainty._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________You'll be safe with him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________With a sob Lárus got to his feet and threw his bound arms over the warrior's head and around his neck. The man enfolded him in his arms, holding him tight for a moment. Then, even though Lárus had lived through twelve summers, the man scooped him up as effortlessly as if he weighed nothing, cradling him against his chest. He took him from the pen, but as he reached to close the gate, the shining man stopped him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He turned towards his captor, who still stood stock still, dazed. "You _bør_ shut _dette,"_ he said simply, a pleased little smile playing about his lips. Then they walked away, and as Lárus watched over his shoulder he was amazed to see their captor do nothing as one by one the other captives started to slip from the pen._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The warrior carried him through the streets, seemingly without tire, his voice low and soothing as he murmured soft words to him. Eventually the other two men disappeared into a large lodge, while the warrior took him around the back to another building behind it, handing the man at the door a coin, taking Lárus into a stall with a large wooden tub in it and setting him down. He untied the ropes from around his wrists and neck with gentle care and threw them aside, then stepped away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He could just see men in other stalls washing themselves in the tubs, so Lárus started to slip out of his clothes. When the big warrior returned with two buckets of steaming water he smiled, tipping them into the tub and nodding him towards it. Then he turned to stand at the mouth of the stall, turning his back to him, and feeling both safe and respected, Lárus climbed into the tub and did his best to scrub every inch of mud from him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________By the time he'd finished the shining man had joined them, bearing a very large shirt and a pair of rope sandals that were only a little too big. They dressed him and took him into the lodge, where they sat him down on the side of a sleeping bench and handed him a large piece of bread and a bowl of stew, which he tried his best not to gulp down._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________His stomach stopped hurting about half way through, and he tried his best to listen to the men talk, trying hard to pick out the words that sounded familiar, to pay attention to they way they sounded._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The dark haired man saw him watching and smiled, moving from the bench to sit in front of him. He pointed to his chest. "My nahum is Johan," he said slowly, pointing to his chest, repeating himself again. Then he pointed to Lárus's chest. "You?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________That was easy enough. "My name is Lárus," he replied, and watched Johan smile widely, extraordinarily pleased._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Lárus," he repeated, then turned to beam up at the others. "Lárus."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The shining man smiled as well, leaning forward. He pointed to himself, then the warrior. "Daniel. Ben."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________The warrior nodded, his eyes again bright with tears, and suddenly Lárus felt overcome with tears himself, words spilling from his lips helplessly. "I don't know who you are or why you rescued me and I know I can't ever do enough to thank you, but thank you! I promise I'll repay you, I'll work for you, whatever you want. Those men were so terrible - they raided my village and killed my father and they - my mother, they - "_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Johan tried to calm him with soft words, looking distressed. Then Ben moved to sit beside him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders, the warm safety of his strength soothing the hurt and fear. Lárus cuddled against his side without hesitation and calmed, quietly finishing his stew._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Johan still seemed anxious as he sat in front of him. Then, from the folds of his cloak, he drew a small, carved wooden animal with pointed ears, a bit like a dog with no nose. "Katt," he said carefully, pointing to it. "Eeeoow." He scampered the toy along his arm, making it jump and pounce, repeating the same "Eeeoow" sound a few times. It seemed so ridiculous after everything he'd been through that Lárus felt a laugh bubble up from his lips._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Johan beamed at him again, and moved the toy to the floor, making the animal pounce on his foot. Then it started to rub against his ankle affectionately, and Johan made a low rumbling in his throat that Lárus hadn't heard anyone make before. He tried to mimic the sound and Johan laughed, parting his lips so that Lárus could see his tongue vibrate against the roof of his mouth as he made the sound._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________In the space between blinks it seemed as of Johan had the same large, pointed ears as the animal, poking up from between his large black curls. It made him remember the points he'd seen on Daniel's ears, and how very strong Ben had been, and suddenly a thought occurred to him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________He looked up at Ben. "Are you... Huldufólk?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Huldufólk?" He repeated, eyebrows knitting together. He looked at Daniel._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"Huldufólk," the other man said, and Lárus watched him repeat the word silently. Then his eyebrows raised slightly, and he smiled. "Hillfolk." He leaned into the space between the sleeping benches, lifting a finger to his mouth, his voice soft and low as he spoke carefully. This time, even though he still sounded strange, Lárus could understand his words. "We are Huldufólk," he murmured, smiling. "And you are also Huldufólk, Lárus. We are family. We will keep you safe now."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Huldufólk? Was that why he had seen Daniel glow? But a few strange things came to mind as he thought about it, seeing things in his childhood that no-one else could see, and with a rush of warmth he realized the truth of it._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________"We are family," he repeated softly, and Ben's arm tightened around him. Lárus felt a sudden and overwhelming love for them, and when he looked up to see the adoration in Ben's tear-bright eyes had another strange thought._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____________This man is going to be my husband one day._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________Well. He'd certainly make a very fine husband. Lárus smiled, and cuddled into him, warm and safe._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

___________~~~_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
